Synthesis of metal-organic framework (MOF) based composites for pH-responsive drug delivery

Abstract

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are nanoporous, and nanostructured resources crafted from hydrocarbon-based linkers connecting inorganic metal nodes. A considerable amount of curcumin can be encapsulated within MOF’s porous structure, shielding it from deterioration. The curcumin’s solubility was significantly improved by including carbon quantum dots (QDs) into the nanocomposite. In this study, curcumin was encapsulated using the double emulsion approach using MOF-based nanoparticles and pH-sensitive chitosan/PEG hydrogel. The nanocarrier was characterised by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential. UV spectroscopy and spectrofluorimetric provided insights into the binding of curcumin to the added QDs. Curcumin loading and encapsulation efficiency were found to be about 31% and 85%, respectively. The release profile of curcumin showed pH-dependence and controlled release by the nanocomposite, following the K-P diffusion model. Biocompatibility against the MCF-7 breast cancer cells validated the anti-cancer potential of the nanocarrier.