Ultrahigh nanostructured drug payloads from degradable mesoporous silicon aerocrystals

• Published in: International journal of pharmaceutics 2021-09, Vol.607, p.120840-120840, Article 120840
• Main Authors: Nadarassan, D., Loni, A., Canham, L.T., Scoutaris, N., Trivedi, V., Douroumis, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Controlled release; Degradable; Ibuprofen; Porous silicon; Supercritical fluid
• ISSN: 0378-5173; 1873-3476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120840

[Display omitted] Porous silicon has found increased attention as a drug delivery system due to its unique features such as high drug payloads, surface area and biodegradation. In this study supercritical fluid (SCF) assisted drying of ultrahigh porosity (>90%) silicon particles and flakes was shown to result in much higher mesopore volumes (~4.66 cm3/g) and surface areas (~680 m2/g) than with air-drying. The loading and physical state of the model drug (S)-(+)-Ibuprofen in SCF dried matrices was quantified and assessed using thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, UV–Vis spectrophotometry, gravimetric analysis, gas adsorption and electron microscopy. Internal drug payloads of up to 72% were achieved which was substantially higher than values published for both conventionally dried porous silicon (17–51%) and other mesoporous materials (7–45%). In-vitro degradability kinetics of SCF-dried matrices in simulated media was also found to be faster than air-dried controls. The in-vitro release studies provided improved but sustained drug dissolution at both pH 2.0 and pH 7.4.