Synthesis and Characterisation of Amino Functionalised Mesoporous Silica-based Nanomaterials for Isoniazid Drug Delivery

It was an established norm that conventional drug delivery modules such as tablets and capsules are prone to poor bioavailability. Hence, in this study, mesoporous silica nanomaterials synthesised using sodium silicate as a silica source and functionalised with 3-amino propyl triethoxysilane via post-grafting method were utilised as a drug delivery system for isoniazid. Several characterisation techniques such as X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra-red spectroscopy, Brunauer Emmett Teller surface area analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Transmission Electron Microscopy were used to evaluate the physicochemical properties of the synthesised nanomaterials before and after amino functionalisation and isoniazid encapsulation. The drug loading, entrapment efficiencies, and release rates of the encapsulated nanomaterials were also determined. The results showed that the functional amino group had a significant effect on increasing the drug loading capacity and entrapment efficiencies of the nanomaterials, and also the release rates of isoniazid in phosphate saline buffer (PBS) at a pH of 7.4.