The bioactivity studies of drug-loaded mesoporous silica-polydimethylsiloxane xerogels using FTIR and SEM/XEDS

• DOX-loaded M-silica-PDMS xerogels were synthesized using sol–gel method.
• Obtained xerogels were soaked in SBF with presence or absence of human albumin.
• The bioactive properties of xerogels were investigated by FTIR and SEM–XEDS.
• Progressive formation of carbonated hydroxyapatite on xerogels surface was observed.
• Addition of human albumin slows down the formation process.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the mineralization potential of bioactive drug-loaded mesoporous silica-polydimethylsiloxane xerogels under in vitro biomimetic condition. In this case, bioactivity is slightly connected with self-formation of carbonate hydroxyapatite (c-HAp) on xerogels surface. Carriers in the form of granules were prepared by using sol–gel method including drug loading – doxorubicin hydrochloride. The drug-loaded carriers were soaked in mineralizing solution with or without content of human albumin for 7, 14, 28 days to produce c-HAp. The mineral formation was measured using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results show that the drug-loaded carriers could significantly mineralize in vitro: the mineralizing rates increasing with the time for which the samples were kept in the mineralizing solution. However, human albumin has significant retardative effect on apatite precipitation from SBF.

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