Functionalized SBA-15: engineering, detailed study on release and kinetics of alendronate as well as its anti-tumour properties towards osteosarcoma

The present work deals with designing a biocompatible controlled drug delivery system (DDS) based on 12-tungstophosphoric acid (TPA)-functionalized SBA-15 for anti-osteoporotic drug alendronate sodium (ALD) and its characterization using different physicochemical techniques such as TGA, FT-IR spectroscopy, XRD, N₂ adsorption measurements, HRTEM, and SEM. The designed DDS, ALD/TPA/SBA-15, was assessed for its drug delivery potential by carrying out in vitro drug release in simulated body fluid (pH 7.4, 37 °C) under stirring conditions as well as for the dissolution study. Release kinetics and mechanisms using zero order, first order, and Higuchi model were also carried out. Further, the release profile of the designed DDS was compared with the available marketed formulation (Osteofos), and ALD/TPA/SBA-15 shows a more controlled release. To explore the direct anti-tumour potency of ALD on osteosarcoma cells, an MTT assay was carried out at different concentrations, and the results show concentration-dependent inhibition of osteosarcoma cell proliferation.