Evaluation of mesoporous silicate nanoparticles for the sustained release of the anticancer drugs: 5-fluorouracil and 7-hydroxycoumarin

In this study, effects of chemical structure and molecular size of the anticancer drugs 5-fluorouracil and 7-hydroxycoumarin on their release from MCM-48 nanoparticles were investigated. Nanoparticles of the mesoporous silicate material, MCM-48, were prepared and characterized by XRD, SEM and FTIR. Loading of 5-fluorouracil and 7-hydroxycoumarin onto the nanoparticles was confirmed by FTIR and TGA measurements, and loading capacities of about 24 and 14 % were achieved, respectively. Release experiments for 5-fluorouracil were conducted in buffer solutions at pH = 7.4 and 5.2. However, due to the instability of 7-hydroxycoumarin in basic media, release experiments were conducted only in acidic buffer solution at pH = 5.2. The release of 5-fluorouracil was slightly affected by the pH of the release medium, and it was almost complete in about 2 h. However, the release of 7-hydroxycoumarin which has a larger size and higher acidity followed a prolonged release mode over a period of 12 h. The prolonged release of 7-hydroxycoumarin from MCM-48 nanoparticles points out to the potential use of this system as sustained release delivery carrier.