Comparative pH-Responsive Loading and Release of Structurally Distinct Central Nervous System Drugs from Graphene...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising nanocarrier for drug delivery due to its properties.
• Limited studies exist on how drug characteristics affect GO loading and release, especially for CNS therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comparatively investigate the pH-responsive loading and release of d-cycloserine and riluzole using GO as a nanocarrier.
• To elucidate the influence of drug physicochemical properties on GO-drug interactions for CNS drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic evaluation of drug loading and encapsulation efficiency at varying pH, temperature, and drug concentrations.
• Comparative analysis of GO affinity for d-cycloserine (polar, H-bonding) versus riluzole (hydrophobic, π-π stacking).
• In vitro cytocompatibility assessment using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Main Results:

• GO showed higher affinity for d-cycloserine due to polarity and hydrogen bonding.
• Riluzole loading on GO was dominated by π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions.
• Both GO-drug systems exhibited pH-responsive release, faster in acidic conditions and sustained at physiological pH.
• All GO formulations demonstrated excellent biocompatibility with neuroblastoma cells.

Conclusions:

• Drug chemistry significantly dictates interactions with graphene oxide nanocarriers.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for designing effective graphene-based CNS drug delivery systems.
• GO shows potential as a versatile nanocarrier for CNS therapeutics with tunable release profiles.