Effect of Process Variations on Anticancerous Drug Intercalation in Ceramic Based Delivery System

Two methods have been attempted to intercalate an anionic anticancerous drug methotrexate (MTX) into Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH): a) anion exchange method (sample A') and b) in situ coprecipitation method followed by a soft hydrothermal treatment (sample A '') to form a biohybrid material. Both the materials obtained were characterized by powdered sample X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), particle size distribution (PSD) analysis and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the integrity of the MTX and to quantify the drug loading in the materials. HPLC data of sample A' confirms the integrity of the MTX moiety in the interlayer space of Mg-Al-LDH which has been further verified by XRD and FTIR spectroscopy and drug loading in the hybrid system was found to be 20.22 mg.g(-1). However, the HPLC data of sample A '' supports that under soft hydrothermal condition decomposition of MTX is operating and the major decomposition product was identified as N-10-methyl folic acid that remains adsorbed on Mg-Al-LDH surface, primarily, as indicated by the TG-DTA study.