Plasmon-Enhanced Controlled Drug Release from Ag-PMA Capsules

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Developing advanced drug delivery systems is crucial for targeted cancer therapy.
• Controlling drug release kinetics is essential for maximizing therapeutic efficacy and minimizing side effects.
• Nanocomposite materials offer promising platforms for stimuli-responsive drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize silver-grafted poly-methacrylic acid (Ag-PMA) capsules loaded with sorafenib tosylate (SFT).
• To investigate the laser-triggered photo-release behavior of SFT from the Ag-PMA capsules.
• To evaluate the potential of these capsules as a smart drug delivery system for controlled anticancer drug release.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Ag-PMA capsules using sacrificial silica microparticles as templates.
• Loading of sorafenib tosylate (SFT) into the Ag-PMA capsules.
• Characterization of drug loading (DL%) and encapsulation efficiency (EE%).
• Investigation of SFT photo-release profiles under varying laser irradiation conditions (wavelength and power intensity).

Main Results:

• Achieved high drug loading (DL% ≈ 13%) and encapsulation efficiency (EE% ≈ 76%) for SFT within Ag-PMA capsules.
• Demonstrated on-demand, laser-controlled release of SFT, with release profiles tunable by light wavelength and power.
• Observed significantly improved SFT release from capsules compared to colloids (21% vs. 14%).
• Enhanced SFT release up to 35% by tuning laser wavelength near the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of silver nanoparticles.

Conclusions:

• Ag-PMA capsules loaded with SFT represent a viable smart drug delivery system.
• Laser-triggered release offers precise control over drug dosage, timing, and duration.
• The system shows potential for more economical use of the active drug component due to controlled release.