Silica materials in drug delivery applications
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Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Porous Silicon Microparticles for Delivery of siRNA Therapeutics
Published on: January 15, 2015
Spomenka Simovic1, Nasrin Ghouchi-Eskandar, Aw Moom Sinn
1Ian Wark Research Institute, The ARC Special Research Centre for Particle and Material Interfaces, University of South Australia. spomenka.simovic@unisa.edu.au
Abstract:
In this review article we collect and analyse preparation, chemistry and properties of silica materials relevant for drug delivery applications. We review some of the most relevant milestones in the research of silica materials for implantable, oral, intravenous and dermal drug delivery systems. Preparation, chemistry and drug delivery characteristics of fumed silica nanoparticles (oral and dermal delivery route), silica xerogels (implant delivery), mesoporous silica materials (implant and oral delivery) and mesoporous silica spheres (intravenous delivery) with particular emphasis on their role in anticancer therapy and the design of stimuli responsive drug delivery systems are analysed. Recent progress in the research of silica materials for controlled drug delivery, namely, biocompatibility aspects, research on hybrid materials, anticancer and stimuli-responsive mesoporous silica materials are particularly emphasized.
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