Encapsulation of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid into a NaY zeolite

The faujasite zeolite structure was studied to investigate its suitability for development of new drug delivery systems (DDS). The sodium form (NaY) of the zeolite was used for encapsulation of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHC), an experimental anticancer drug used in colorectal cancer therapy. The DDS was prepared by diffusion in liquid phase of CHC as a guest in the void space of the host zeolite structure at pH 7.0. The molecular integrity of CHC in the encapsulation process was evaluated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) and Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis). The new drug delivery system, CHC@NaY, was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–Vis, chemical analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and Scanning electron microscopy. Analysis of the data of the drug alone and encapsulated in NaY show that CHC and the zeolite framework preserved their original structure. The effect of the zeolite and DDS on HCT-15 human colon carcinoma cell line viability was evaluated. The encapsulation of CHC significantly increased its potency.