Extraction of fibroin and formulation of biocompatible microparticles from silk cocoons harvested in Da Lat, Vietnam

Abstract

For the first time in Vietnam, researchers have successfully extracted and formulated a fibroin microparticle system from silk cocoons originating from Da Lat. Fibroin was extracted from raw Da Lat silkworm cocoons through a process of sericin removal and hot extraction using a calcium salt mixture. The fibroin microparticles were prepared using desolvation method with ethanol. Its properties and particle size were evaluated using dynamic light scattering, while the interactions of functional groups were analyzed using FT-IR spectroscopy. The irritation potential was assessed by the HET-CAM test, and particle stability was analyzed by mass variation. The results demonstrated the successful extraction of fibroin from silkworm cocoons with a yield of 25.06%. The formulated fibroin microparticles exhibited micron-scale sizes and displayed characteristic FT-IR signals of fibroin. All materials were non-irritating and safe for skin and mucous membranes. The fibroin particles exhibited a stability of over 99% in the gastrointestinal environment. Accordingly, these results provide a foundation for further research on natural materials and fibroin-based microparticle systems.