**4. Applications of electro spun nanofibers (ESNF)**

Electrospinning offers many advantages like control over morphology, porosity and composition using very simple equipment. Due to its different applications in various fields like filtration products, biomedical applications, and tissue engineering to produce artificial blood vessels, non-woven fabrics, fuel cells, fibre mats etc. [29]. Electrospinning technology has been used for the fabrication and assembly of nanofibers into membranes, which have extended the range of potential applications in the biomedical, environmental protection (**Table 1**), nano sensor, electronic/optical, protective clothing fields and various other fields [30].

#### **4.1 Health applications**

The ESNF have shown great capacity in the human healthcare applications, for tissue or organ repair and regeneration, as biocompatible and biodegradable medical implant devices, in medical diagnostics and instrumentation, as protective fabrics against environmental and infectious agents in hospitals and as vectors to deliver therapeutics and drugs [31].

For drug delivery or bio separation, nanofibers with strong paramagnetic properties prepared by the coaxial technology, such as Gd2O2S, possibly doped with Eu or Dy, were recommended [32].

For controlled delivery of drugs, molecular medicines, body-care supplements and therapeutics nanofibers are used as a promising tool by cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. To give an example such as DNA which is attached covalently to a patterned array of carbon fibre and inserted into cells by centrifuging these cells onto the array will not affect cell's viability and the expression of genes encoded by


**87**

**Figure 3.**

*Various strategies used to prepare suitable wound dressing [31].*

*Electrospun Nanofibers: Characteristic Agents and Their Applications*

tissue, and the possibility to release functional molecules [34].

*Myristica andamanica* which has been used for wound healing [34].

the inserted DNA. This could build a way for the development of a 'smart' polymeric drug delivery system [31]. After alignment, stacking, mechanical properties, diameter, porosity, and biodegradability optimisation nanofiber-based scaffolds have been explored to enhance the repair or regeneration of various types of tissues, including heart, blood vessel, nerves, skin, musculoskeletal system, and tissue

The naturally extracted bioactive agents using electrospinning technique have been majorly promoted for the development of advanced level of dressings which paves way for rapid and efficient wound repair. Electrospun scaffolds consists of several advantages over the traditional dressings for the treatment of chronic as well as acute wounds, high absorption of exudates from the site of wound, efficient exchange of gases and nutrients for cell's proliferation, protection of the injured

The distinctive features of ESNF scaffolds such as their inter-fibre and intrafibre pores and high surface area stimulate the fibroblastic cells response by rapidly initiating cell signalling pathways. Additionally, electrospinning technique can be used because of its application in the fabrication of cosmetic masks which are used for skin cleansing and skin healing. The high surface area of an electrospun skin mask facilitates the flow of additives from and to the skin (**Figure 3**) [30].

Many crude extracts of plants have been successfully encapsulated into electrospun fibres, such as *Centella asiatica,* baicalein, green tea, *Garcinia mangostana*, *Tecomella undulata*, *Aloe vera*, *Grewia mollis*, chamomile, grape seed, *Calendula officinalis*, *Indigofera aspalathoides*, *Azadirachta indica*, *Memecylon edule* and

ESNF has been effectively explored as a wound healing dressing material. By developing nanofibers to provide topographical and biological cues, the migration

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97494*

interfaces [33].

**4.2 Wound dressing**

**Table 1.**

*Natural biopolymer electrospun nanofibers [30].*

#### *Electrospun Nanofibers: Characteristic Agents and Their Applications DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97494*

the inserted DNA. This could build a way for the development of a 'smart' polymeric drug delivery system [31]. After alignment, stacking, mechanical properties, diameter, porosity, and biodegradability optimisation nanofiber-based scaffolds have been explored to enhance the repair or regeneration of various types of tissues, including heart, blood vessel, nerves, skin, musculoskeletal system, and tissue interfaces [33].
