Application of Carbon Nanotubes in Naltrexone Delivery

Naltrexone hydrochloride, an opioid antagonist, is a synthetic congener of oxymorphone with no opioid agonist properties. Many attempts have been made to formulate naltrexone in a responsive or sustained drug delivery system. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have potential novel application in nanomedicine as biocompatible and supportive substrates, and as pharmaceutical excipients for creating versatile drug delivery systems. In this study preparation and evaluation of a Naltrexone CNT loaded system as drug delivery was investigated.Methods: Known concentration of naltrexone was prepared and CNT was added to the solution. Parameters like time, shaking speed, pH of the solution, temperature, amount of CNT, and drug concentration on loading efficiency were evaluated. After loading of the drug on to the CNT, it is separated by filtration the solventevaporated to dryness. Release of naltrexone from the CNT was studied using a Franz diffusion cell. Results and discussion: CNTs were loadedefficiently by naltrexone. Parameters like temperature, concentration, and time had significant influence on the loading efficiency of CNTs. Adsorption and/or absorption of naltrexone on/in CNTs strongly slowed down the release of naltrexone compared to the aqueous drug solutions and a sustained release was observed.

کلیدواژه ها:

Naltrexone ، Carbon Nanotube ، Drug delivery