Preparation and in vitro characterisation of bioactive mesoporous silica microparticles for drug delivery applications.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the surface mineralization activity and in vitro drug behaviour potential of new mesoporous silica microparticles (MSM). The unmodified MSM (MSM-0%Ca) and calcium-modified MSM (MSM-5%Ca, MSM-15%Ca, MSM-25%Ca) were prepared using the self-assembling method. Calcium diethoxide was used as a calcium precursor. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), used as an anticancer model drug, was selected to the drug loading and release studies. The DOX loading into the microparticles was performed by liquid adsorption process. The self-formation of carbonate hydroxyapatite (C-Hap) on the MSM surface was examined under in vitro biomimetic conditions. The samples were characterised by means of scanning-transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry, powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The results indicated an inverse relationship--while increasing the total amount of calcium in the MSM composition the surface area and pore volume decrease with a simultaneous increase in the pore size. This was correlated with a progressive increase in the surface mineralization ability--especially its initial promotion, and in the decrease in MSM drug loading efficiency. The release rate of the DOX can be effectively tailored by varying the amount of calcium, where the elution rate of DOX increases with an increasing amount of the Ca precursor.