Controlled release of 5-fluorouracil from microporous zeolites

Zeolite particles with different pore diameter and particle size were loaded with the model anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil. The loaded zeolites were characterized by means of SEM, XRD, DSC, XPS, N2 physisorption and FT-IR. Higher loading of 5-FU was observed for NaX-FAU than BEA. Release studies were carried out in HCl 0.1 N. Release of 5-FU from NaX-FAU showed exponential-type behaviour with the drug fully released within 10 min. In the case of BEA, the kinetics of 5-FU shows a multi-step profile with prolonged release over time. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that diffusion of the drug molecule through the BEA framework is lower than for NaX-FAU due to increased van der Waals interaction between the drug and the framework. The effect of zeolitic particles on the viability of Caco-2 monolayers showed that the NaX-FAU particles cause a reduction of cell viability in a more pronounced way compared with the BEA particles.From the Clinical EditorThis article describes zeolite-based nanoparticles in generating time-controlled release of 5-FU from zeolite preparations for anti-cancer therapy.

Graphical AbstractIn the current work two zeolites BEA and NaX-FAU having different pore architectures exhibited markedly different release profiles for the same drug. Careful selection of the appropriate drug/framework combination is therefore crucial in determining the optimum system for drug delivery.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (302 K)Download as PowerPoint slide