Cyclodextrin metal-organic framework@SiO₂ nanocomposites for poorly soluble drug loading and release

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Developing non-toxic drug carriers is crucial for effective delivery of poorly soluble drugs.
• Existing carriers often face challenges with stability, loading capacity, and controlled release.
• Biocompatible porous materials offer potential solutions for enhanced drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel biocompatible, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly porous material (CD-MOF@SiO2) for drug delivery.
• To evaluate the material's efficacy in loading and controlling the release of a poorly soluble drug, folic acid.
• To assess the enhanced stability and solubility imparted by the CD-MOF@SiO2 carrier.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a silica-enhanced cyclodextrin-based metal-organic framework (CD-MOF@SiO2) nanocomposite.
• Characterization using SEM, EDX, FTIR, N2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, TGA, and DSC.
• Drug loading and release studies using UV spectrophotometry in PBS buffer.
• Solubility enhancement assessment of folic acid.

Main Results:

• The synthesized CD-MOF@SiO2 nanocomposite demonstrated high specific surface area, tunable structure, and enhanced stability.
• High drug loading efficiency (166.78%) and encapsulation rate (83.39%) for folic acid were achieved.
• Apparent solubility of folic acid increased 13,588-fold, from 1.6 μg mL-1 to 21.74 mg mL-1.
• Controlled and sustained release of folic acid was observed under various conditions.

Conclusions:

• The CD-MOF@SiO2 nanocomposite is a promising, stable, and biocompatible carrier for poorly soluble drugs.
• This material significantly improves drug solubility and enables controlled release, addressing key challenges in drug delivery.
• The developed approach offers a novel and efficient strategy for creating advanced drug delivery systems.