Controlled release of metformin from chitosan-based nanocomposite films containing mesoporous MCM-41 nanoparticles as novel drug delivery systems.

Biocompatible nanocomposite films based on blended chitosan and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (BP) polymers containing metformin (MET) drug and MCM-41 or MCM-41-APS (APS=aminopropylsilane) nanoparticles (NPs) were designed and fabricated in order to prepare novel drug delivery systems which are useful for controlled drug release purposes. The total pore volume and mesopore volume of MCM-41 were measured equal to 1.08 and 1.05 cm3/g but those of MCM-41-APS were 0.54 and 0.26 cm3/g indicating smaller values for the APS functionalized material. The film thickness was the highest for CS-BP-G-10%MET (70μm) but it was the smallest for the CS-BP-G-4%MCM-41 (49μm). For all of the films, the swelling percent was the highest in acidic medium but it was decreased in PBS and the least water uptake occurred in the alkaline environment. The lowest and the highest water uptake was observed for the films incorporated with 4%MCM-41NPs and 4%MCM-41-APS-10%MET, respectively. The SEM micrographs of the films after three days water uptake in pH=4 medium exhibited that all of the films were stable against cracking and/or tearing. It was found that increasing the MCM-41 or MCM-41-APS amount within the films decreased the elongation at break but enhanced the tensile stress. The release of the MET was sharply increased within ∼22-24h (burst release) but after that the drug release was slowly enhanced during 15days (sustained release). Finally, it was concluded that the film 4% MCM-41-APS-10%MET NPs was the most promising drug delivery system because it had improved hydrophilicity, hydrolytic stability, biocompatibility, mechanical and drug release properties.