Applications of mesoporous silica-encapsulated gold nanorods loaded doxorubicin in chemo-photothermal therapy

Abstract

We investigate the chemo-photothermal effects of gold nanorods (GNRs) coated using mesoporous silica (mSiO2) loading doxorubicin (DOX). When the mesoporous silica layer is embedded by doxorubicin drugs, a significant change in absorption spectra enables to quantify the drug loading. We carried out photothermal experiments on saline and livers of mice having GNRs@mSiO2 and GNRs@mSiO2-DOX. We also injected the gold nanostructures into many tumor-implanted mice and used laser illumination on some of them. By measuring the weight and size of tumors, the distinct efficiency of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy on treatment is determined. We experimentally confirm the accumulation of gold nanostructures in the liver.