Incorporating Cu-based metal-organic framework/drug nanohybrids into gelatin microsphere for ibuprofen oral delivery

In compression with the intravenous administration, oral delivery most commonly used due to the non-invasive nature and the fact that avoids patient pain and discomfort. By consideration this aim, ibuprofen as a model drug was loaded into two-dimensional tunnels and empty face-centered cubic cubes of Cu-MOF porous through immersing of Cu-MOF in the drug solution. Cu-Based metal-organic framework/ibuprofen nanohybrid (Cu-MOF/IBU) protected with pH-sensitive biopolymeric gelatin microsphere. From the obtained results, it seems that the prepared gelatin microsphere could be a proposed capsule for the drug in the gastrointestinal tract conditions. The gelatin encapsulated Cu-MOF/IBU microsphere (Cu-MOF/IBU@GM) were characterized using FT-IR, XRD, UV-Vis and SEM analysis. For demonstrating the efficiency of the novel microsphere as a controlled drug delivery system, in-vitro the drug delivery tests were carried out in simulating the gastrointestinal tract conditions. pH point of zero charges (pH(pzc)) was measured for determination of surficial charge of the carrier. The drug release tests showed that the Cu-MOF/IBU@GM has a better protection against stomach pH and enhanced the stability of drug dosing for a longer time with controlled releases in the gastrointestinal tract conditions. The MTT test demonstrated that the Cu-MOF/IBU@GM has low toxicity against Caco-2 cells. According to the obtained results, the prepared Cu-MOF/IBU@GM could potentially be used as an oral drug delivery system.