In Situ Loading of Drugs into Mesoporous Silica SBA-15

In a new strategy for loading drugs into mesoporous silica, a hydrophilic (heparin) or hydrophobic drug (ibuprofen) is encapsulated directly in a one-pot synthesis by evaporation-induced self-assembly. In situ drug loading significantly cuts down the preparation time and dramatically increases the loaded amount and released fraction of the drug, and appropriate drug additives favor a mesoporous structure of the vessels. Drug loading was verified by FTIR spectroscopy and release tests, which revealed much longer release with a larger amount of heparin or ibuprofen compared to postloaded SBA-15. Besides, the in vitro anticoagulation properties of the released heparin and the biocompatibility of the vessels were carefully assessed, including activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, hemolysis, platelet adhesion experiments, and the morphologies of red blood cells. A concept of new drug-release agents with soft core and hard shell is proposed and offers guidance for the design of novel drug-delivery systems.