SLOW-RELEASE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR MESOPOROUS SILICA NANOPARTICLES LOADED WITH CELASTROL TO CONTROL ADENOCARCINOMA GASTRIC CELLS

MOHAMMAD TAGHI MORADI; DHIYA ALTEMEMY; LEILA HASHEMI; POORIA MOHAMMADI ARVEJEH; MAJID ASADI-SAMANI; FARIBA HOUSHMAND; PEGAH KHOSRAVIAN

doi:10.22159/ijap.2025v17i5.53510

Authors

MOHAMMAD TAGHI MORADI Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
DHIYA ALTEMEMY Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Al-Zahraa University for Women, Karbala, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0311-9827
LEILA HASHEMI Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
POORIA MOHAMMADI ARVEJEH Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
MAJID ASADI-SAMANI Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5623-8729
FARIBA HOUSHMAND Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
PEGAH KHOSRAVIAN Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2025v17i5.53510

Keywords:

Adenocarcinoma gastric cells, Celastrol, Mesoporous silica nanoparticles, Slow-release drug delivery system

Abstract

Objective: The load of low-soluble drugs, such as celastrol (Celas) in mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), increases the solubility and physicochemical stability of the drug. This study investigated the performance of MSNs loaded with Celas to counteract adenocarcinoma gastric (AGS) cells.

Methods: MSNs with amine surface modification (MSN-NH₂) were prepared using the sol-gel method. MSN-NH₂ were loaded with Celas and surface coated with Eudragit® RS 100 (Eud). The methods evaluated final prepared Celas@MSN-NH2/Eud as scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Final nanoparticles were investigated for loading and release of Celas by spectrophotometric method. In vitro, the antiproliferative activity of free Celas and nanoparticles in AGS cell lines was evaluated using an MTT assay. The apoptosis rate of AGS cells was assessed according to the instructions of the FITC Annexin-V apoptosis detection kit and by flow cytometry.

Results: SEM results showed particles with an approximate size of 50 nm, and XRD results proved the crystal structure of MSNs. BET and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda (BJH) plots showed the surface area above 980 m2/g and the pore size of these particles at 2.8 nm, respectively. The FTIR results demonstrated the chemical structure of nanoparticles. The loading capacity of Celas@MSN-NH₂/Eud with Celas was 2.6%, and the release of Celas from the nanoparticles increased under the influence of acidic pH. Anti-proliferative activity on AGS cells was increased in growth inhibitory effect by Celas@MSN-NH₂/Eud than free Celas. The IC₅₀ and confidence intervals (CI) 95% of the Celas was 0.3756 (CI 95%:0.3207-0.44 μM), higher than that of Celas@MSN-NH₂/Eud, which was 0.1456 (CI95: 0.1277-0.1668 μM) against AGS cells. Examination of cellular apoptosis also showed ‎heightened primary apoptosis in Celas-loaded nanoparticles compared to the same Celas concentration.

Conclusion: According to the obtained results, it can be said that Celas@MSN-NH₂/Eud exhibited good anticancer activity against AGS cells. We conclude that using MSNs with Eud coating is suitable for Celas drug delivery to gastric cancer cells.

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