ABSTRACT This study aimed to develop novel electrospun nanofibers composed of Poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)/Gelatin (Gel)/κ‐Carrageenan (κ‐CG) loaded with omega‐3 acid ethyl esters (ω3; EPA and DHA) as a biocompatible and antimicrobial platform for neural tissue engineering, particularly for epilepsy‐related applications. The fabricated ω3‐loaded nanofibers were characterized in terms of morphology, wettability, chemical structure, mechanical properties, thermal stability, swelling behavior, in vitro drug release and kinetics, antimicrobial activity, and biocompatibility. Morphological analysis confirmed uniform nanofiber formation, with increased fiber diameter after ω3 incorporation. The addition of ω3 increased hydrophobicity, reduced swelling capacity, and improved structural flexibility. In vitro release studies demonstrated sustained release of EPA and DHA over 14 days, reaching approximately 93% and 72%, respectively. Release kinetics were best described by the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating anomalous (non‐Fickian) diffusion behavior. Antibacterial assays against Staphylococcus aureus showed that ω3‐loaded nanofibers reduced bacterial viability by approximately twofold. Cytotoxicity studies using SH‐SY5Y and SVG‐P12 cell lines confirmed the cytocompatibility of the nanofibers and revealed that ω3 further enhanced neuronal cell proliferation. Overall, the developed ω3‐loaded PCL/Gel/κ‐CG nanofibers provided a cytocompatible and antimicrobial, suggesting strong potential as a sustained ω3 delivery system for neural tissue engineering and epilepsy treatment strategies.
Aranci et al. (Fri,) studied this question.