Template free synthesis of mesoporous hectorites: efficient host for pH responsive drug delivery

The organized mesoporous matrices with large surface area and large pore volumes are potential drug carriers and hence find good applications in the field of controlled and sustained drug delivery. Two novel mesoporous synthetic hectorite (MSH) materials, namely, MSH3 and MSH4 with diverse composition and pore performance have been synthesized by a template free route and studied for the controlled drug delivery applications. MSH3 with 0.14LiF:5.93Mg(OH)2:8 SiO2 synthetic composition exhibited higher quinine adsorption than that by MSH4 (2.8LiF:4.6Mg(OH)2:8SiO2). In vitro studies at 37±0.5°C temperature under sequential buffer conditions showed controlled drug release with respect to the variation in pH values while following Eudragit VR L100 coated gelatin capsules; however, dialysis bag technique do not show such pH controlled delivery. Kinetic data suggest the release of QUI from the nanocomposite follows dissolution diffusion model.