Fabrication of folic acid-embedded aminated drug encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate framework as promising drug delivery system for lung cancer

A novel pH-responsive drug carrier for the delivery of specific Docetaxel (DTX) administration is developed based on a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8). Aminating the surface of ZIF-8 is allowed for the conjugation of folic acid (FA). Several spectroscopic studies characterized the newly fabricated DTX-encapsulated folic acid-embedded ethylene diamine (ED) ZIF-8 nanocomposites (DTX/FA@ED-ZIF-8). It has excellent chemical stability and high drug-loading efficiency. DTX from the folic acid-embedded aminated ZIF-8 (FA@ED-ZIF-8) is three-fold more efficient under acidic pH (5.0) than in physiological settings (pH 7.4), according to in vitro drug release tests. DTX/FA@ED-ZIF-8 exhibited cytotoxicity of 76.8% in an MTT experiment conducted in A549 and H1299 cells. Cell morphological and nuclear staining were investigated in the fabricated samples to support the MTT experiments. Further, the apoptosis mode of cell death was examined using Annexin V-FITC and PI by flow cytometry. These findings indicate that FA@ED-ZIF-8 holds great potential as a drug carrier for precise dosing.