Engineered MCM-48 and heteropolyacid based hybrid nano-drug delivery systems for controlled release of metformin hydrochloride for diabetes mellitus treatment

In the present study, hybrid drug delivery systems based on 12-tungstophosphoric acid and nano MCM-48 were developed to improve the bioavailability and dosing frequency of an antidiabetic drug, metformin hydrochloride. The role of 12-tungstophosphoric acid as a functionalizing and capping agent was also studied. An <i>in vitro</i> release study was carried out at pH 1.2 and pH 7.4 at 37 °C to see the effect of pH, followed by a release kinetic study and the comparison of release profiles with a marketed drug, Glycomet-250. Further, a dissolution study was carried out using a type II USP dissolution apparatus. Taking into consideration the anticancer activity of metformin hydrochloride, an MTT assay using HepG2 cells was performed, and it was found that the customised system can dramatically reduce hyperglycaemic conditions and exhibit potential activity towards HepG2 cells.