Solvent effects in the development of a drug delivery system for 5-fluorouracil using magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles

• Published in: Microporous and mesoporous materials 2017-01, Vol.237, p.108-116
• Main Authors: Egodawatte, Shani, Dominguez, Steven, Larsen, Sarah C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 5-Fluorouracil; Drug delivery; FTIR; Mesoporous silica; NMR
• ISSN: 1387-1811; 1873-3093
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2016.09.024

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), an anticancer drug, was loaded into magnetic iron oxide/mesoporous silica nanocomposites (m-MCM-41) with and without aminopropyl functionalization using three different solvents (water, water/acetone, dimethyl sulfoxide). The parent and the drug-loaded samples were characterized using physicochemical techniques, such as powder X-Ray diffraction (pXRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ssNMR) spectroscopy techniques were used to obtain molecular level insights into the loading of 5-FU into m-MCM-41 with different solvents and surface functionalization. The loading and release characteristics of 5-FU from m-MCM-41 depended on the solvent polarity and the surface functionalization of the host. The chemical insights provided by this study can be used in the future design and development of magnetic mesoporous silica nanocomposites for theranostic applications. Interaction of 5-FU with the mesoporous silica host and the effect of 5-FU release depending on the loading solvent. [Display omitted] •Magnetic mesoporous silica nanocomposite is a potential theranostics agent for 5-FU.•Polarity of the solvent affects the % loading and release of 5-FU.•NMR and FTIR suggest 5-FU interacts via fluorine side of ring.