Studying the activity of antitubercluosis drugs inside electrospun polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene oxide, and polycaprolacton nanofibers

The activity of antituberculosis drugs (streptomycin sulfate, isoniazid, pyrazinamid, and clarithromycin) embedded in biodegradable nanofibers against Mycobacterium avium has been studied by broth dilution assay and by agar plate assay. These drugs have also been embedded in electrospun polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyethylene oxide (PEO), and polycaprolacton (PCL) nanofibers to design a new single tablet containing first‐line antituberculosis drugs. Our results show that antituberculosis drugs are active at tiny amounts (up to 300 µg mL−1 of solvent). However, within polymer matrices, high amounts of drugs are required to avoid unwanted weak interactions within PEO and PCL matrices. The successful design of a single tablet containing required amounts of antituberculosis drugs is essential for the full treatment of tuberculosis in patients with HIV. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 4009–4016, 2014.