Preparation and Comparative Evaluation of Fe+2/Fe+3 and Mg+2/Fe+3 LDHs as Promising Nanocarriers for Class II and Class IV Drugs

Abstract

Application of NPs is a promising nanocarriers strategy for development of new drug delivery system. To accomplish such strategy, two types of NPs of layered double hydroxides (Fe+2/Fe+3) and (Mg+2/Fe+3) were synthesized, each one was separately loaded with two types of drugs, montelukast sodium (class II) and cefdinir (class IV) by application of two methods of drug loading (ion-exchange and intercalation methods). The final dried powder were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermal analysis (TGA), Zeta Potential analyzer, Powder X-ray diffraction pattern (PXRD) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and evaluated by measuring solubility, percentage yield and drug loading capacity, in vitro dissolution, in vitro diffusion and biological activity. The results indicated that Fe+2/Fe+3 LDHs NPs is more suitable nanocarrier for class IV as well as class II drugs since it gave smaller particle size, improved permeability, higher loading capacity and improved biological activity therefore, it could be used to give sustained release pattern that can prolong the action of the drug in the body.

Keywords: Fe+2/Fe+3-LDHs, Mg+2/Fe+3-LDHs, drug loading, cefdinir, montelukast