Research paperDevelopment of a novel 'nanocarrier' system based on Halloysite Nanotubes to overcome the complexation of ciprofloxacin with iron: An in vitro approach

•fHNT entrap CIP to avoid its complexation with Fe.•71.7% ± 1.2% reduction in CIP's absorbance upon complexation.•Antibacterial studies indicated complexation's effect on drug.•NH2 groups on fHNT prevented CIP's complexation with Fe.

The bioavailability of ciprofloxacin (CIP) is known to decrease upon administration due to its complexation with iron present in the body. A possible way to prevent this complexation is by entrapping the drug in a carrier. In this study, Halloysite Nanotubes (HNT) post functionalization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) were used as 'nanocarrier' for the entrapment of CIP. The complexation studies between CIP and iron revealed 71% ± 1.2% decrease in drug's absorbance upon complexation. Further, the in vitro antibacterial studies also exhibited a reduction in the antibacterial property of CIP on complexation with iron. Pristine HNT exhibited no interaction with CIP and iron. But post functionalization, the nanotubes had a strong interaction with iron and removed 80% ± 0.9% of it from the solution. Drug loading studies using functionalized HNT (fHNT) presented a 70% ± 1.7% loading of CIP on it. The samples of HNT (before and after functionalization and after drug loading) were characterized with TEM, XRD, FTIR and DSC. The drug release studies exhibited a sustained release of CIP from drug loaded fHNT. Further, drug loaded fHNT (CIP-fHNT) removed iron from the iron-rich solution and released the loaded drug back into the solution.

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