Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 28, 2026
08:53
Synthesis, Functionalization, and Characterization of Fusogenic Porous Silicon Nanoparticles for Oligonucleotide Delivery
Published on: April 16, 2019
Phosphate-Surface-Modified Silica Nanoparticles for 5-Fluorouracil as a Prolonged Drug Delivery System
Aleksandra Lis1, Arkadiusz Surażyński2, Przemysław Koźmiński3
1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Drug Analyses and Radiopharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, 90-151 Lodz, Poland.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 27, 2026
Summary
This study synthesized functionalized silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FLU). These nanoparticles enhance drug delivery and apoptosis in cancer cells, offering a targeted therapy with reduced side effects.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with amino and phosphate groups.
- The functionalized SiNPs were loaded with the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FLU) and further modified with PEG2000.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel nanoformulation for targeted delivery of 5-fluorouracil (5-FLU).
- To evaluate the efficacy of functionalized silica nanoparticles in inducing apoptosis in breast cancer cells.
- To investigate the drug release profile under different pH conditions, mimicking tumor microenvironments.
Main Methods:
- A one-step, two-phase sol-gel method was employed for nanoparticle synthesis.
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were used for characterization and drug quantification.
- Cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction were assessed in MCF7 breast cancer cells using specific biomarkers.
Main Results:
- The developed SiNPs-NH2-PO3-5-FLU formulation demonstrated a stronger apoptotic response compared to free 5-FLU.
- Enhanced drug release was observed in a mildly acidic environment (pH 5.0), characteristic of the tumor microenvironment.
- PEGylation of the nanoformulation resulted in prolonged and controlled drug release.
Conclusions:
- Encapsulating 5-fluorouracil within functionalized silica nanoparticles facilitates targeted drug release in the tumor microenvironment, potentially reducing systemic toxicity.
- The nanoformulation shows promise for targeted cancer therapy, improving drug efficacy and patient outcomes.
- PEGylation further enhances the therapeutic potential through sustained drug delivery.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:24Site-Targeted Drug Delivery Systems: Polymeric Carriers
Polymeric carriers enhance targeted drug delivery by increasing efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. These carriers comprise a biodegradable polymeric backbone integrated with functional elements that enable targeting, improve physicochemical properties, and regulate drug release.Targeting MechanismsThe targeting ability of polymeric carriers is mediated by a homing device, which is a molecular recognition component designed to selectively bind to specific tissues or cells. Monoclonal...
01:24Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Site-Targeted
Site-targeted drug delivery systems enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity and treatment costs. Unlike conventional methods, these systems ensure precise drug delivery, improving bioavailability and reducing side effects. Targeted drug delivery is classified into three levels. First-order targeting directs drugs to the capillary beds of specific organs or tissues. Second-order targets specific cell types, such as tumor cells, using receptor-mediated interactions.
01:26Oral Drug Delivery Systems: Continuous-Release Systems
Continuous-release drug delivery systems offer a strategic approach to maintaining therapeutic drug levels over extended periods following oral administration. By modulating the release rate of active pharmaceutical ingredients, these systems minimize fluctuations in plasma concentrations, which enhances clinical efficacy and reduces the need for frequent dosing. Such characteristics make them particularly advantageous in managing chronic diseases where patient adherence and stable drug...
01:11Oral Drug Delivery Systems: Delayed-Release Systems
Delayed-release drug delivery systems are specialized pharmaceutical formulations designed to postpone the release of active compounds until the drug reaches a specific region of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, typically the intestine. These systems are essential for drugs that may cause gastric irritation, are unstable in acidic environments, or need to exert therapeutic effects locally in the intestinal or colonic regions.The core feature of delayed-release systems is the use of enteric...
01:22Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Drug Release Characteristics
Drug release from modified-release dosage forms is designed to achieve specific therapeutic effects by controlling the rate and extent of drug release. The classification of these drug release systems is based on key pharmacokinetic assumptions: drug disposition follows first-order kinetics, drug release is the rate-limiting step in absorption, and the released drug is rapidly and completely absorbed.There are four major models of drug release patterns. The first model is the slow zero-order...
01:22Modified-Release Drug Delivery Systems: Rate-Programmed I
Rate-programmed drug delivery systems (DDS) are designed to release drugs at specific, controlled rates to maintain consistent therapeutic levels. These systems are categorized based on their release mechanisms, including dissolution-controlled DDS, diffusion-controlled DDS, and combined dissolution-diffusion-controlled DDS.In dissolution-controlled DDS, the release rate depends on the slow dissolution of the drug itself or the surrounding matrix. Drugs with inherently slow dissolution rates,...