Delivery of Quercetin using modified-mesoporous silica nanoparticles increase the efficacy of lung cancer chemotherapy

Globally, lung cancer cases and deaths are rising. Quercetin (QC), a bioflavonoid that existed naturally in a wide range of plants, is one of the antioxidant materials, which prevents lipid peroxidation and scavenges superoxide radicals. QC can be used in a different way to treat lung cancer. One of the most efficient methods, is to use nanoparticles to carry this drug. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are the attractive nanocarrier system to reduce the drug's toxic side effects, enable controlled drug release, prevent drug degradation and provide a biocompatible and biodegradable high surface area carrier. In this study, modified MSNs were used as the novel system for the delivery of QC. MSNs were synthesized according to a slightly modified previously reported sol-gel method. The pluronic® F-۱۲۷ was used to decrease the size of MSN's. QC was loaded in modified MSNs and the loading and release profiles were analyzed. The cytotoxic potential for killing lung cancer cells was also studied. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were characterized. The modified-MSNs were almost spherical and have an average particle size of ۷۰ nm. The QC-loaded modified-MSNs showed a positive effect to reducing the viability of lung cancer cells.