An amorphous calcium phosphate for drug delivery: ATP provides a phosphorus source and microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis

An amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) for drug delivery was synthesized by using microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis with ATP-Na2 provided a source of phosphorus. This ACP was characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area and hydrodynamic sizes. In vitro cytotoxicity evaluation was used by Mg-63 cells. Doxorubicins (Dox) were used as a model drug to evaluate the drug loading and release abilities. Results show the ACP, synthesized at 120 °Cand pH9 for 30 min, was consisted of aggregated porous microspheres, has essentially no cytotoxicity, moderate drug release abilities, and has strong drug-holding capacity. As an anticancer drug delivery, it has a high ability to damage and kill cancer cells. So, it is promising for applications in drug delivery.