Layered terbium hydroxides for simultaneous drug delivery and imaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Layered rare-earth hydroxides offer versatile intercalation chemistry.
• Their magnetic and fluorescent properties make them suitable for theranostic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate layered terbium hydroxide (LTbH) as a platform for simultaneous drug delivery and fluorescence imaging.
• To assess the drug release kinetics and fluorescence properties of LTbH loaded with NSAIDs.

Main Methods:

• Ion-exchange loading of diclofenac, ibuprofen, and naproxen into LTbH-Cl.
• Phosphate-buffered saline drug release studies at pH 7.4.
• Solid-state fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze guest anion effects.

Main Results:

• All three nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were rapidly released within approximately 5 hours.
• Fluorescence intensity of LTbH was highly dependent on the intercalated guest anion.
• The fluorescence signal was successfully used to monitor ibuprofen release from the LTbH formulation.

Conclusions:

• LTbH demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, high drug loading capacity, and a strong, guest-dependent fluorescence signal.
• These characteristics make LTbH a promising candidate for theranostic applications, combining drug delivery and imaging capabilities.