Cyclodextrin-mesoporous silica particle composites for controlled antibiotic release. A proof of concept toward colon targeting.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) and mesoporous silica particles (MSPs) have been combined as composite carriers for controlled antibiotic release. CDs were employed as "gatekeeper" agents and grafted onto MSPs to retain drug molecules inside the MSP carrier. A variety of CDs (unfunctionalized, positively charged and carboxymethylated) and three different coupling strategies (covalent binding, electrostatic adsorption and inclusion complexation) were systematically investigated for their ability to control the release of two antibiotic drugs, metronidazole and clofazimine.