Fabrication and evaluation of controlled release of Doxorubicin loaded UiO-66-NH2 metal organic frameworks

The metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) due to their large specific surface area and high biocompatibility are suitable as carriers for drug delivery systems (DDSs). In the present study, doxorubicin (DOX) as an anticancer drug was loaded into the UiO-66-NH2 MOFs to decrease the adverse side effects of pristine DOX use and to increase its efficiency through the controlled release of DOX from MOFs. The MOFs were synthesized via microwave heating method and characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett- Teller analysis. The drug loading efficiency, drug release profiles from synthesized MOFs and pharmacokinetic studies were investigated. The biocompatibility of drug-loaded-UiO-66-NH2 MOFs was also evaluated by their incubation in L929 normal fibroblast cells. The average particle sizes of UiO-66-NH2 MOFs and DOX loaded-MOFs were found to be 175 nm, and 200 nm respectively. The Brunauer-Emmett- Teller surface area of UiO-66-NH2 MOFs and DOX (100 μg mL-1) loaded-UiO-66-NH2 MOFs were estimated to be 1052 m2g-1, and 121 m2g-1, respectively. The synthesized MOFs exhibited high capability for the controlled release of DOX from MOFs as a pH sensitive carrier. The DOX release data were best described using Korsmeyer-Peppas pharmacokinetic model (R2≥0.985). The cell viability of synthesized MOFs against fibroblast normal cells was found to be higher than 90%. It could be concluded that the UiO-66-NH2 MOFs could be used as an effective pH sensitive carrier for loading anticancer drugs.