Calcium carbonate microspheres as carriers for the anticancer drug camptothecin

► BSA-doped calcium carbonate microspheres with porous structure were prepared. ► Camptothecin was encapsulated in the spherical microparticles with encapsulation efficiency up to 11%. ► The release of encapsulated camptothecin is pH dependent ► In vitro studies showed an effective anticancer activity of the camptothecin- microspheres.