Bioengineering of chitosan/citric acid/curcumin nanofiber scaffolds for treatment of spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) often lead to lasting neurological deficits due to axonal regeneration failure. Current treatments, like direct drug administration, are ineffective because of rapid drug clearance. This study developed and optimized chitosan-curcumin-citric acid nanocomposite scaffolds for sustained curcumin release in SCI therapy. Electrospun nanofibers were fabricated, with the best formulation showing a uniform morphology, an average fiber diameter of 105 ± 1.15 nm, and 98.07 ± 1.12 % porosity. FTIR confirmed no structural deviations, while XRD analysis verified the amorphous state of curcumin. TGA revealed enhanced thermal stability, and in vitro studies showed sustained curcumin release over 72 h. Hemocompatibility assays shown haemolysis rates below 5 %, confirming safety for biomedical use. In vivo, rats treated with the scaffold showed significant locomotor recovery, reflected in improved Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) scores and better gait coordination. Histopathology showed reduced tissue damage and greater neuronal preservation. The scaffold showed excellent biocompatibility, with no systemic toxicity. These results highlight chitosan-curcumin-citric acid nanofiber scaffolds as a promising SCI treatment, offering structural support and controlled curcumin release might promote neural functional recovery repair.