Gentamicin Loaded Zn-2(bdc)(2)(dabco) Frameworks as Efficient Materials for Drug Delivery and Antibacterial Activity

New drug delivery systems are very helpful in diagnosis and treatment of diseases through controlled and targeted drug delivery. They can increase bioavailability of drugs and reduce their side effects. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are alternative drug delivery systems, which are suitable for targeted drug delivery due to their adjustable pore sizes and compatibility by adding some functional groups. Application of these compounds permits simultaneous use of several advantages including biocompatibility, the ability to absorb large amounts of drugs and control drug release. The present study was designed to provide Zn-2(bdc)(2)(dabco) MOF and evaluate its performance in absorbing and releasing gentamicin. Characterization methods, such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, BET, UV-Vis spectroscopy and TGA, were employed to characterize the gentamicin-loaded Zn-2(bdc)(2)(dabco) structure. The amount of drug release from Zn-2(bdc)(2)(dabco) was measured in buffer solutions with 7.4 and 5.0 pHs. Furthermore, antibacterial properties of the drug, MOF and drug-loaded MOF have been investigated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This study shows the potential of using Zn-2(bdc)(2)(dabco) frameworks for controlled release of antibiotic drugs.