Synthetic Calcium Silicate Biocomposite Based on Sea Urchin Skeleton for 5-Fluorouracil Cancer Delivery

Abstract

Synthetic calcium silicates and phosphates are promising compounds for targeted drug delivery for the effective treatment of cancerous tumors, and for minimizing toxic effects on the patient’s entire body. This work presents an original synthesis of a composite based on crystalline wollastonite CaSiO3 and combeite Na4Ca4(Si6O18), using a sea urchin Mesocentrotus nudus skeleton by microwave heating under hydrothermal conditions. The phase and elemental composition and structure of the obtained composite were studied by XRF, REM, BET, and EDS methods, depending on the microwave heating time of 30 or 60 min, respectively, and the influence of thermo-oxidative post-treatment of samples. The role of the sea urchin skeleton in the synthesis was shown. First, it provides a raw material base (source of Ca2+) for the formation of the calcium silicate composite. Second, it is a matrix for the formation of its porous inorganic framework. The sorption capacity of the composite, with respect to 5-fluorouracil, was estimated, the value of which was 12.3 mg/L. The resulting composite is a promising carrier for the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. The mechanism of drug release from an inorganic natural matrix was also evaluated by fitting its release profile to various mathematical models.

Silica-Containing Biomimetic Composites Based on Sea Urchin Skeleton and Polycalcium Organyl Silsesquioxane

“…The thermal stability of the introduced silicates, i.e., the ability to maintain a porous structure at high temperatures, is the key to producing an ordered porous material. The sea urchin skeleton can serve as a raw material component to source calcium ions for initiating the reaction of calcium silicate formation and play the role of a matrix for the formation of a porous inorganic composite framework; this can be a promising carrier for the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs [ 35 ].…”

“…For example, in [ 34 ], catalysts based on mesoporous copper and manganese oxides were synthesised; morphological characterisation showed that the primary catalyst particles were nanorods that aggregated together to form structures similar to sea urchins (which was a factor in the increase in specific surface area). Recently published research has also revealed an original and efficient approach to the synthesis of a material for the production of an anti-cancer drug delivery agent [ 35 ]. The material was obtained by hydrothermal treatment of sea urchin skeletons in a sodium metaxylate (Na 2 SiO 3 ·5H 2 O) solution with further modification of the resulting product using the 5-fluorouracil (C 4 H 3 FN 2 O 2 ) sorption saturation method.…”