Abstract:

 The anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), is easily loaded on titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2NTs) through adsorption forces because of its high specific surface area and perfect surface activity. By studying the effects of loading conditions (concentration of DOX and loading time) on the loaded rates and encapsulation efficiency of TiO2NTs, the following optimum conditions were obtained: concentration of DOX is 0.7 mg/mL, and loading time is 24 h. Under these conditions, loading rates of DOX on TiO2NTs were 40% and encapsulation efficiency was 75%. We found that the release rate of DOX loaded on TiO2NTs was pH sensitive. We can control the release rate by adjusting pH value of the solution. Under the neutral conditions (pH=7), DOX loaded on TiO2NTs releases almost nothing. When the pH value was 3, DOX released slowly over time and the release rate was up to 75%.

Key words: titanium dioxide; nanotube; cancer; drug carrier