Expanding the Therapeutic Potential of NUIG4: A Multifunctional Metal–Organic Framework for Dual Anticancer and Antibacterial Drug Delivery

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as highly tunable materials for targeted and controlled drug delivery. In this study, NUIG4 is presented as a multifunctional MOF-based carrier capable of encapsulating both anticancer and antimicrobial therapeutics. NUIG4 exhibits high-surface area, water stability, and suitable porosity, supporting the efficient loading of a range of drug molecules. Its dual anticancer drug delivery performance is assessed using doxorubicin (DOX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Co-loading studies demonstrate successful encapsulation of both drugs and synergistic cytotoxicity in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, indicating that the MOF preserves and potentially enhances the therapeutic efficacy of both drugs. Furthermore, NUIG4 is assessed as a carrier for antibiotics, including tetracycline (TET), isoniazid (INH), and pyrazinamide (PYZ), demonstrating sustained, pH-responsive release. TET@NUIG4 retain potent antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli, with minimum inhibition concentration values matching those of the free drug, while INH and PYZ highlight NUIG4's potential for tuberculosis-directed delivery. Spectroscopic analyses and kinetic modeling support a chemisorption-based mechanism and efficient, sustained release. These findings establish NUIG4 as one of the few MOFs reported, capable of both dual anticancer drug codelivery and antibiotic encapsulation and release, suitable for targeting both cancer and infectious diseases.