SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILICA NANOCOMPOSITES FOR BONE APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a malady leading to bone fracture and results from imbalance in the rate of osteoblastic bone formation with respect to osteoclastic bone degradation.⁶ Nanotechnology raises exciting possibilities for developing novel therapeutic agents for treating osteoporosis.⁶ We use silica-based fluorescent nanoparticles endowed with natural bone-targeting capabilities and express potent pro-osteoblastogenic and anti-osteoclastogenic activation in vitro and show the ability to increase bone mineral density invivo. Here, we initially synthesize mesoporous silica nanoparticles by coating with octadecyl trimethoxy silane. The silica nanoparticles thus prepared is chosen as control. Two different samples of silica nanocomposites are prepared ; first binding silica nanoparticles with fluorescent dye i.e tetracycline (SiO2-Tet), the second sample prepared by combining (SiO2-Tet) with magnetic nanoparticles (cobalt-ferrite solution) to form (SiO2-Tet-MNP). All these synthesized nanoparticles are characterized using XRD, SEM, FTIR, E-DAX analysis. Post—characterization work plan involves incorporation of silica-based fluorescent nanoparticles into human bones (or in rat bones in case human bones is not at all available). This includes Micro CT-Scanning , Injecting (SiO2-Tet-MNP) into bone tissues, Quantitating Bone Mineral Density. Finally results are obtained through test outcome which includes estimations of cell mineralization assays, detection of osteoclast formation, nanoparticle association with Bone surface (Incubation with (SiO2-Tet)

/(SiO2-Tet-MNP) for 2 hours in well-plates), statistical analyses and figures obtained from characterization methods and thereby expressing the property of silica-based fluorescent nanoparticles to increase bone mineral density and combating osteoporosis.