Morin loaded mesoporous molecular sieves as novel devices to the potential treatment of tumor pathologies

several human pathological conditions. Despite this, the administration of morin represents a challenge due to its low aqueous solubility and high sensitivity. Mesoporous silica materials have emerged as new biocompatible tools for drug delivery, as their pore size can be modulated for maximum surface area to volume ratio. In this contribution, we evaluate the ability of iron-modified mesoporous materials for morin loading and controlled delivery. Methods: The SBA-15 and MCM-41 sieves were synthesized and modified with iron. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy, XRD and UV-Vis revealed adequate pore size and agglomerates of very small metallic nanospecies (nanoclusters), without larger iron oxide nanoparticles. FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of silanol groups in the solid hosts, which can interact with different groups present in the morin molecules. The incorporation of morin was also corroborated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results: SBA-15 materials were more efficient in terms of morin loading capacity due to their larger pore diameter. Finally, biosafety studies using normal epithelial cells revealed that neither the loaded nor the unloaded materials exerted toxicity, even at doses of 1 mg/ml. Conclusions: these findings expand knowledge about mesoporous materials as suitable carriers of flavonoids with the aim of improving therapies for a wide range of pathologies.