Copper-Trimesate Framework as a Drug Delivery System for Antibiotics: Loading Capacity and Release Behaviour

Copper-trimesate framework has been investigated for its potential to act as a drug delivery system for antibiotics. The material was synthesized under solvothermal conditions and characterized using FTIR spectrophotometer. Drug loading tests were performed in fixed bed columns, on five different weights, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg of copper-trimesate framework, using ethanol solutions of amoxicillin and doxycycline. Drug release profiling of the antibiotics was conducted in phosphate buffer saline pH 7.4 for a duration of 50 minutes, with solution drawn at interval of 10 minutes for determination of the concentration of the released drug. The weights of amoxicillin per 100 mg of copper-trimesate loaded onto 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 mg of the material were 88.40, 44.36, 24.19, 18.58, and 15.17 mg. Those of doxycycline were 114.67, 51.62, 35.72, 27.03, and 20.84 mg, implying a decrease in loaded amounts with an increase in the weight of copper-trimesate. Drug release profiling study showed that 59.15 % amoxicillin and 44.95% doxycycline were released in their respective medium during the 50 minutes time investigated. These results reveal the potential of copper-trimesate framework to act as drug delivery system for high drug loading and enhanced bioavailability of the investigated antibiotics.