Applications of mesoporous materials as excipients for innovative drug delivery and formulation.

Due to uniquely ordered nanoporous structure and high surface area as well as large pore volume, mesoporous materials have exhibited excellent performance in both controlled drug delivery with sustained release profiles and formulation of poorly aqueoussoluble drugs with enhanced bioavailability. Compared with other bulk excipients, mesoporous materials could achieve a higher loading of active ingredients and a tunable drug release profile, as the high surface density of surface hydroxyl groups offered versatility to be functionalized. With drug molecules stored in nano sized channels, the pore openings could be modified using functional polymers or nano-valves performing as stimuli-responsive release devices and the drug release could be triggered by environmental changes or other external effects.