Grafting Drugs to Functionalized Single-wall Carbon Nanotubes as a Potential Method for Drug Delivery

The mesalazine and fluvoxamine drugs were grafted to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) for the aim of precise drug delivery. First, carboxylic groups in SWCNT were converted to corresponding acyl chlorides. Next, to attain the formation of amide bonds, acyl chloride-SWCNTs were mixed with chemotherapeutic agents, having NH2 and NH functional groups. Then, the covalently grafted drugs to SWCNT were characterized by UV- visible, IR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Finally, the prepared organic compounds were used for releasing drugs at pH: 1.3, which is corresponding to clinical aspects of the human body, and were examined for the potential of drug delivery in patients. Accordingly, the in-vitro kinetic as well as the mechanism of the released drugs were investigated.