Electrospun healthcare nanofibers from medicinal liquor of Phellinus igniarius

Although the healthcare market has billions of dollars in trade every year in this nano era, the nano products for healthcare remain limited. In this study, polyvinylpyrrolidone was used as a filament-forming matrix and drug carrier, and Phellinus igniarius (PI) was explored as a raw medicinal material. Coaxial electrospinning was implemented to transfer a traditional healthcare product (medicinal liquor) from PI into a nano healthcare product, that is, medicinal core–shell nanofibers. A homemade Teflon-coated concentric spinneret was utilized for setting up the coaxial electrospinning apparatus. The micro-formation mechanism of core–shell nanostructures from the spinneret was disclosed. The prepared core–shell nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, by which they were demonstrated to have a linear morphology with an evident core–shell structure. In addition, the active ingredients (primarily polysaccharides) from PI were presented in the nanofibers in an amorphous state, indicating good compatibility with the polymeric matrix. Homemade methods and ex vivo permeation tests were explored to evaluate the functional performance of medicinal core–shell nanofibers, which could be quickly dissolved to release the loaded active ingredients when they encountered water and ensured a rapid permeation effect. The present study pioneered a potential application to more people of electrospun core–shell healthcare nano products from traditional medicinal liquor. Graphical abstract