Potential of amorphous microporous silica for ibuprofen controlled release

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Amorphous microporous silica (AMS) xerogels are promising materials for drug delivery applications.
• Controlling the porosity of AMS is crucial for optimizing drug loading and release profiles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize AMS xerogels with tunable porosity.
• To investigate the loading and in vitro release of ibuprofen from AMS particles.
• To evaluate the stability of ibuprofen-loaded AMS formulations.

Main Methods:

• Sol-gel synthesis with varying parameters (hydrolysis ratio, HCl:Si ratio, silicon source, solvent).
• Melt impregnation for ibuprofen loading into millimeter-sized AMS particles.
• In vitro release studies in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids.
• Nitrogen physisorption, DSC analysis, and in vitro release for stability assessment.

Main Results:

• AMS porosity was successfully tuned by adjusting synthesis parameters.
• Drug release kinetics were dependent on AMS particle size and micropore diameter.
• Release mechanism identified as configurational diffusion within AMS micropores.
• Ibuprofen-loaded AMS exhibited remarkable stability, with drug molecules acting as pore scaffolds.

Conclusions:

• Tailored synthesis of AMS xerogels enables control over drug delivery properties.
• The stability of drug-loaded AMS is enhanced by the drug's interaction with the pore structure.
• AMS represents a stable and effective platform for controlled ibuprofen release.