Folic acid/methotrexate functionalized mesoporous silica nanoflakes from different supports: Comparative study

Abstract

Herein, we present a facile synthesis route for the mesoporous silica nanoflakes on two types of templates and evaluate their potential as potential drug delivery systems. Silica materials are attractive due to their biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, high surface area, and tunable pores. In addition, they can be multifunctionalized. These properties were used to create multifunctional drug delivery systems combining folic acid as a target molecule and methotrexate (MTX) as an anticancer drug. The silica nanoflakes were formed using graphene oxide and double-layered hydroxide as templates, respectively. After the removal of matrices, the silica flakes were functionalized by folic acid and loaded with methotrexate. The differences in drug release performance and structural stability were analyzed with respect to the detailed physicochemical characterization of the produced silica nanoflakes.