Gold Nanoparticle-Integrated Glucose Oxidase Encapsulated in Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF-8) as a Glucose-Responsive Drug Delivery System for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with an increasing prevalence. Conventional treatments, such as insulin injections, often result in unstable blood glucose levels. This study explores a glucose-responsive drug delivery system based on Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 (ZIF-8) integrated with Glucose Oxidase (GOx) and gold nanoparticles (AuNP) for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM-2) treatment. The combination of pH-sensitive ZIF-8 with glucose-responsive GOx aims to regulate glucose fluctuations via controlled drug release. Characterization results show that synthesized ZIF-8 maintains its structure and morphology, even after the integration of metformin, GOx, and AuNP, confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR), and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM) analyses. In vivo testing demonstrated that Met-GOx@ZIF8/AuNP effectively stabilizes blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, indicating its high potential as a glucose-responsive DM-2 therapy. In vivo experiments showed that metformin encapsulated in ZIF-8 with GOx and AuNP significantly improved glycemic control compared to conventional treatment. This system offers a promising solution for patients with busy lifestyles by providing a controlled, glucose-responsive drug release.