Nanoarchitectonics of CTAB-modified kanemite as carrier of methotrexate

Kanemite is considered as a promising drug carrier because of its interlayered channel structure and large interlayer exchange capacity, non-toxicity, and insolubility in water and HCl solution. Cetyltrimethylammonium (CTAB)-modified kanemite as the carrier of methotrexate (MTX) was firstly reported. XRD and Zeta potential results confirmed the CTAB-modified kanemite (Ka-CTAB) and the MTX loaded in the CTAB-modified kanemite (Ka-CTAB-MTX). Compositional analyses revealed that loading capacity of the Ka-CTAB-MTX for MTX was about 12.29%. To simulate intestinal fluid and gastric fluid, drug release was carried out in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH = 7.4 ) and HCl solution ( pH = 1.35 ), respectively. It was found that the MTX was slowly released from the Ka-CTAB-MTX in PBS and the cumulative concentration of the released MTX over time can be fitted well by ExpDec3 model. While the cumulative concentration of the MTX released in HCl solution ( pH = 1.35 ) over time can be fitted by ExpDec1 model. The releasing percentage of the MTX from Ka-CTAB-MTX in PBS and HCl solution were 36.78% and 66.64%, respectively, after 1440 min (24 h). Cytotoxicity experiments showed that loaded MTX drug could be successfully controlled-released from Ka-CTAB carrier and exhibited anticancer effects to HepG2 cancer cells.