Morphological properties of nanoporous folic acid materials and in vitro assessment of their biocompatibility.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mesoporous silica-based particles are of potential interest for the development of novel therapeutic targeted delivery vehicles. Their ability to load and release large quantities of active pharmaceutical products with varying properties, combining controlled and targeted release functions make them unique amongst nanotechnology-based carrier systems. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this study, nanoporous folic acid-templated materials (NFM-1) were prepared and the synthetic strategies for the control of textural and morphology properties of NFM-1 are described. The potential biocompatibility of NFM-1 particles with different morphology (gyroid shaped, fibers and rod-shaped) was assessed using a panel of human cell lines. RESULTS: The results reveal that NFM-1 morphology has an impact on cell viability such that particles showing higher aspect ratios possess increased cytotoxicity. CONCLUSION: These studies provide useful information for the development of novel mesoporous materials for biomedical applications, including cell-specific drug delivery.