Three new hydroxy double salt (HDS) nanocomposites containing medicinal and agrochemical anions were prepared Dermot O’Hare and co-workers and their potential as sustained release matrices demonstrated in this Hot Article from the team based at Oxford University.
HDSs consist of layers of comprise positively charged layers, requiring charge balancing anions to be located between the layers to ensure electroneutrality. These anions can be easily replaced through an anion exchange process. HDS have received far less attention than the related Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) which have been widely explored as hosts for the storage and controlled release of a broad spectrum of functional anions.
In this study two drug anions were chosen for investigation (ibuprofen and diclofenac, commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and an examplar agrochemical 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, a widely used herbicide. The functional anion intercalates were thoroughly characterised, and the release of the functional anion studied in vitro in representative conditions. Mathematical models were applied to the release kinetics, and post-synthesis modification undertaken to optimise release times for industrial application.
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Hydroxy double salts as versatile storage and delivery matrices
Richard M. R. Bull, Charles Markland, Gareth R. Williams and Dermot O’Hare
J. Mater. Chem., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0JM03020A, Paper
