The present work was an attempt to investigate the potentialities of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a carrier for targeting 6 Mercaptopurine to cancer tissues. MWCNTs were carboxy functionalized and then loaded with 6... more
The present work was an attempt to investigate the potentialities of
multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as a carrier for targeting 6
Mercaptopurine to cancer tissues. MWCNTs were carboxy
functionalized and then loaded with 6 Mercaptopurine (6MP) using
the Incipient Wetness impregnation method to produce 6MP loaded
CNTs. The conjugate was characterized for drug loading efficiency,
in vitro drug release and release kinetics. The result indicated that a
maximum of about 65% entrapment was achieved. The loaded
nanotubes were shown to release the drug for more than 20 hours and
thus controlling the release. The release was found to follow the Zero
Order and Hixson Crowell release pattern. Our work established a
novel, easy to prepare formulation of MWCNTs with better drug
loading efficiency and increased dispersibility of CNTs and thus
improved bioavailability at cancer site with reduced systemic
toxicity.