Carboxymethyl cellulose capsulated layered double hydroxides/drug nanohybrids for Cephalexin oral delivery

• Cephalexin was intercalated between LDH layers.
• Carboxymethyl cellulose proposed as a protective capsule for LDH-Drug nanohybrids
• Drug release tests revealed a better controlled release for nanocomposite beads.

In this paper, pH sensitive carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) beads were proposed as a protective capsule for layered double hydroxides-drug (LDH-Drug) nanohybrids in gastrointestinal tract conditions. Cephalexin (CPX), as a model drug, was intercalated between LDH layers through co-precipitation method. The resulting nanohybrid (LDH-CPX) was used to prepare nanocomposite hydrogel beads by association with carboxymethyl cellulose. The synthesized products were characterized using FTIR, XRD and SEM analysis. In vitro drug delivery tests were carried out in conditions simulating the gastrointestinal tract to prove the effectiveness of these novel nanocomposite beads as a controlled drug delivery system. The drug release tests revealed a better protection against stomach pH and a controlled liberation in the intestinal tract conditions for CMC encapsulated LDH-CPX nanohybrids.