tert-Butylamine functionalized MCM-41 mesoporous nanoparticles as drug carriers for the controlled release of cyclophosphamide anticancer drug

Mesoporous MCM-41 nanoparticles were synthesized and functionalized using 13-21% of tert-butylamine (TBA) and applied as efficient drug delivery systems (DDSs). The anticancer drug cyclophosphamide (CP) was loaded into the mesopores of the carriers. The surface area, pore volume and pore size of MCM-41 were measured to be 91.83 m2/g, 2.08 cm3/g and 106.35 Å whereas those of the TBA-functionalized MCM-41 samples were considerably smaller confirming the TBA molecules were attached to the pores and surfaces of these materials. The drug release was investigated within three diverse environments including acidic (pH=4), alkaline (pH=14) and neutral phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH=7.4). The cyclophosphamide release was significantly increased (burst release) in about 24 h and then a sustained drug release was occurred within 7 days. Also, the greatest amount of drug release was occurred in alkaline environment, moderate amount in neutral medium and the lowest amount in acidic solution. The MTT assay proved that all MCM-41-x%TBA nanocarriers had high cell viabilities (very low cytotoxicity values) to the L929 murine fibroblast cells indicating these materials are favorable drug vehicles. The kinetics models for the drug release was investigated using the zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, Hixson-Crowel and Korsmeyer-Peppas models and it was found that the CP drug release from all carriers followed the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Lastly, the MCM-41 nanomaterial functionalized with 17% TBA was suggested as the most desirable system due to they had satisfactory amounts of both drug loading and release.