Inclusion of poorly soluble drugs in highly ordered mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with a highly ordered mesoporous structures (103 Å) with cubic Im3¯m have been synthesized using triblock copolymers with high poly(alkylene oxide) (EO) segments in acid media. The produced nanoparticles displayed large specific surface area (∼765 cm2/g) with an average particles size of 120 nm. The loading efficiency was assessed by incorporating three major antiepileptic active substances via passive loading and it was found to varying from 17 to 25%. The state of the adsorbed active agents was further analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Dissolution studies revealed rapid release profiles within the first 3 h. The viability of 3T3 endothelial cells was not affected in the presence of MSNs indicating negligible cytotoxicity.