Ordered mesoporous materials for drug delivery applications

Abstract

Conventional drug therapy is associated with a number of challenges, such as poor drug stability and/or solubility in biological environment, lack of selectivity, severe toxicity and unfavourable pharmacokinetics. The application of nanotechnology to medical devices - "nanomedicine" is recognized as an emerging field with huge potential for development of new therapeutic concepts. Research on mesoporous materials for biomedical purposes has experienced an outstanding increase during recent years. Three major types of mesoporous materials for drug delivery application were emerged including: mesoporous silica engineered by organic synthesis and porous silicon, anodically oxidised alumina (AAO) and nanotubular titania fabricated by electrochemical methods. Although still in early stages, few in vivo studies clearly show the potential of these materials for drug delivery devices in orthopedics implants, dental implants, and vascular stents, where not only is the controlled release of drugs such as antibiotics or growth factors desired, but also appropriate biointegration is needed. In this chapter we collect and analyze some of the most relevant milestones in the research of mesoporous materials for controlled drug delivery for implantable and systemic delivery systems. To provide a comprehensive overview to the reader, this review firstly analyzes biocompatibility aspects, which are the major prerequisite for application of materials that come into contact with biological systems. Secondly, we consider the basic aspects of the textural properties (surface and porosity) that contribute to the understanding of drug adsorption and controlled release processes. Finally, more sophisticated stimuli-responsive materials are reviewed. This is only beginning of the further research in terms of correlating biomaterial chemistry and tissue responses and new clinical approaches required not only for orthopaedics, but also treatment for a number of other diseases (hearth, cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's etc). © 2010 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.