title: Drug-loaded electrospun materials in wound-dressing applications and in local cancer treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the last decade, the use of electrospinning for the fabrication of nanofibrous materials loaded with antibacterial agents or anticancer drugs for biomedical applications such as dressing materials for wound treatment and for local cancer treatment has evoked considerable interest. Different drugs can be easily incorporated in electrospun materials and their release profile can be controlled through changes in the fibers morphology, porosity and composition. The large specific surface area of the electrospun materials, the possibility for gradual release and site-specific local delivery of the active compounds lead to cytotoxicity decrease and enhancement of the therapeutic effect of the drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The most recent studies on drug-loaded electrospun mats as materials for wound dressing or local cancer treatment are briefly summarized.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The possibility for local drug delivery in cancer therapy using electrospun materials allows avoiding the oral or systemic drug application, thus leading to decrease in some deleterious side effects. The recent achievements in the comprehension of the electrospinning, in control over the surface chemical composition of the electrospun materials, and in diversifying the applied approaches and techniques, propound larger prospects for creating new materials for wound dressing and local cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Polymers, Laboratory of Bioactive Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev St, bl. 103A, BG-1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ignatova
authors.forename: Iliya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rashkov
authors.forename: Nevena
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Manolova
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D001458:Bandages; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D057139:Nanofibers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016062:Porosity; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents