Poly (β-Cyclodextrin-co-citric Acid) Functionalized Natural Nanozeolite: An Eco-Friendly Platform for IB Delivery

Abstract

Zeolites, due to their porous nature and inherent pH-sensitive properties, are widely studied as drug delivery systems. However, natural zeolite pores are usually larger than drug molecules, which can cause rapid drug release. Consequently, to solve this problem, the zeolite structure must be modified to achieve controlled drug release. On the other hand, the preparation of nanoscale zeolites enables them to enter the living cell. To achieve these objectives, a natural nanozeolite was modified by poly (β-cyclodextrin-co-citric acid) (PCD-zeolite), and used for the loading and release of IB (IB). The PCD-zeolite was synthesized by heating a mixture of citric acid (CA), cyclodextrin (CD), and Na2HPO4; it was characterized by FT-IR, TGA, and TEM analyses. Due to the presence of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in the PCD-zeolite structure, pH plays a vital role in the adsorbed IB; thus, the maximum adsorbed IB was observed at pH = 7. The in vitro release of IB from PCD-zeolite-IB in a phosphate buffer was examined; the PCD-zeolite containing IB (30 wt%) showed the highest release at pH = 3.6 within the first 3–48 h. As a result, the PCD-zeolite, by trapping IB, can improve its solubility and bioavailability. Moreover, the decrease in the dissolution rate of the polymer matrix in an acidic medium may also lower the toxicity of IB.