Nanostructured microcarriers based on silicon for drug delivery

Porous silicon (PS) has different properties from the bulk material due to the quantum confinement effects and depending on the porosity can be bioactive or even bioresorbable. The aim of this paper is to optimise the experimental conditions for nanostructured Si particles fabrication, and to find the best methods for attaching on their surface cytotoxic molecules of therapeutic interest. Both local and general tolerances on animals have been investigated to demonstrate the silicon based particles biocompatibility. The general tolerance was appreciated by monitoring of physiological aspects, i.e. weight gain, oxidative stress, biological marker. Macroscopic and histological examination of muscles and derma inoculation areas tissues, were used as indexes of local tolerance.