In vitro controlled release of antihypertensive drugs intercalated into unmodified SBA-15 and MgO modified SBA-15 matrices.

The use of nanotechnology in medicine and more specifically in drug delivery systems is set to spread rapidly. In order to broaden the range of matrices and implicitly to develop the class of drug delivery systems based on diffusion mechanism, in this study the starting materials, SBA-15 powder matrices, were engineered by MgO modification for antihypertensive drugs intercalation. Captopril and aliskiren were used as drug models. All powders, unmodified and MgO-modified silica matrices, and their corresponding drug-loaded samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, N(2) adsorption and desorption, FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The studied drug carriers were tested in the controlled drug release process and the influence of the silica pore morphology and geometry on drug release profiles was extensively studied. In order to analyze the data obtained from the in vitro release studies and to evaluate the kinetic release mechanism, the Korsmeyer and Peppas equation was used. The obtained drug delivery system based on MgO-SBA-15 matrix exhibits exciting structural features and is therefore promising for its use as antihypertensive drug delivery system, having potential therapeutic benefits resulting in safe and effective management of captopril and aliskiren adsorption and in vitro release. Published by Elsevier B.V.