Nurvidian Khasanah, Sutriyo, Fatimah, Errol Rakhmad Noordam, Iin Hardiyati, Lyliana Endang Setianingsih, Afif Wahyudi Hidayat, Pedro Anugerah Aswan, Ignasius Agyo Palmado, Nuzul Gyanata Adiwisastra, Masita Sari Dewi
Electrospun nanofibers have gained increasing attention as an advanced platform for drug delivery due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio, tunable porosity, and ability to incorporate a wide range of therapeutic agents. These structural properties enable precise control over drug loading and release kinetics, making electrospun nanofibers a promising alternative to conventional delivery systems such as liposomes, hydrogels, micelles, and polymeric nanoparticles. This review provides a comprehensive overview of electrospinning fundamentals, polymer–solvent interactions, and key processing parameters influencing nanofiber morphology and performance. Various drug encapsulation strategies, including blend, coaxial, and emulsion electrospinning, are discussed, along with their advantages and limitations in achieving controlled and stimuli-responsive drug release. A narrative literature search covering the period from 2015 to 2025 identified 214 studies, of which 137 met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. The findings reveal significant research progress across several Asian countries, particularly China, Japan, South Korea, India, and Malaysia, where electrospun nanofibers are actively explored for applications in cancer therapy, wound healing, topical drug delivery, and tissue engineering. The integration of natural bioactive compounds, implantable nanofiber systems, and stimuli-responsive architectures further highlights the rapid innovation occurring in this region. Despite these advancements, several challenges remain, including high production costs, limitations in large-scale manufacturing, solvent toxicity, environmental concerns, and the lack of standardized regulatory frameworks. For successful commercial translation, it is important to address these issues through improved fabrication technologies, modular electrospinning systems, solvent recycling strategies, and harmonized quality standards. Overall, electrospun nanofibers represent a rapidly evolving and highly adaptable platform with strong potential to advance future drug delivery strategies, particularly within Asia’s growing pharmaceutical and biomedical landscape. Copyright © 2026 by Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy (IJP).
Master Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Indonesia, West Java, Depok, 16424, Indonesia; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Medika Suherman, West Java, Bekasi, 17530, Indonesia; Bachelor’s Program in Health Administration, Universitas Medika Suherman, West Java, Bekasi, 17530, Indonesia; Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Har-Kausyar Institute of Health Sciences (STIKes Har-Kausyar), Indragiri Hulu, Riau, 29351, Indonesia; Doctoral Program in Public Health, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia
