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ISSN No:-2456-2165
Abstract:- This study was carried out to synthesize output is estimated is 80 million tons. So it is an eco-
silica nanoparticles for Sustained drug release. friendly process as it minimizes the paddy husk ash waste.
Synthesis of nanosilica was carried out from Rice husk Rice husk are often left to rot in field or burnt in open. Rice
ash by sol-gel method and the size distribution was husk contains silica in range of 20- 25wt%. The silica in
controlled by using different surfactants like, a cationic rice husk exists in the hydrated amorphous form like silica
(CTAB) and anionic (SDS) surfactant. The quercetin – gel. The amorphous nature of silica in rice husk makes it
a flavonoid was successfully incorporated in nanosilica extractable. Thermal degradation and pyrolysis of rice husk
synthesized using 2% SDS surfactant and was grafted followed by the combustion of the char results in a highly
with PEG 4000. The quercetin loading capacity into porous and amorphous silica with a varying percentage of
nanosilica was determined depending on different unburnt carbon. Combusted at moderate temperature, the
concentrations used for loading. The release of this white ash obtained from rice husk contains approximately
loaded quercetin was traced using UV 92-97% amorphous silica [2].
spectrophotometer for sustained release in Ethyl
acetate. The % release profile was also determined. The Highly pure, small particle-size nano silica powder
Antioxidant activity of the quercetin incorporated with high-surface area from agricultural by-product, such
nanosilica was checked using a DPPH antioxidant as rice husk ash, by using a simple user-friendly, alkali
assay. The successful nanosilica synthesis and drug extraction followed by an acid precipitation method. The
loading and grafting by PEG 4000, all were confirmed method is simple, cost-effective, reliable and reproducible.
by using characterization techniques like Dynamic light The purity obtained by this method is enhanced to
scattering for particle size analysis, Scanning electron conventional methods [3].
microscopy (SEM) and IR spectroscopy.
B. Drug Loading and PEG Grafting:
Keywords:- Silica nanoparticles, Rice husk ash, sol-gel Flavonoids are a large group of phenolic compounds
method, Surfactants, CTAB, SDS, Quercetin, PEG 4000, that are widely spread in different plant foods. Quercetin
Sustained release, Antioxidant activity, 2,2-diphenyl-1- (3,3′,4′,5,7-pentahydroxyflavone) is a common dietary
picrylhydrazyl(DPPH), UV spectrophotometer, Particle flavonol with a wide range of pharmacological activities
size analysis, SEM and IR spectroscopy. including antioxidant, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory,
antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antiangiogenic,
I. INTRODUCTION antibacterial, antitumor, antiviral, and hepatoprotective.
The beneficial biological properties of quercetin make it a
A. Synthesis of Nanosilica: promising therapeutic agent. A possible approach to
Manipulation of matter on a 'nano' scale, is overcome this problem is loading of quercetin in
considered to be a key enabling technology. It is commonly appropriate drug delivery systems [4]. The possibility of a
known as nanomedicine, Medical applications of combination of controlled drug delivery and biocompatible
nanomaterials are expected to significantly improve disease properties of mesoporous silica has great advantages once
diagnostic, therapeutic modalities and subsequently reduce silica can induce bioactivity through its extrinsic properties.
health care costs [1]. Silica has a porous network with different diameters and
extensions that provide the possibility of hosting different
The nano silica powder is generally prepared by using molecules. The wall structures of silica pores are formed by
sol–gel method. In most of these methods, nano silica a disordered network of free silanol groups and silane
powder is synthesized using chemicals as a raw material. In bonds that act as reactive nuclei and can be hosts for
chemical methods, it is easy to control size, shape and chemical species [5-8].
purity of the material but the starting reagents are costly. In
industrial applications, low costs and large quantities of This paper to contribute to the development of drug
initial precursor are needed. Rice husk ash is one of the controlled release systems for the treatment of diseases like
most abundant by-products produced in the paddy field. cancer. Thus, mesoporous silica matrix were synthesized
Rice husk is a form of waste from the rice milling and characterized the flavonoid quercetin (C15H10O7) was
industries and is produced in abundance in around the incorporated to the particles.
country. All riceproducing countries have abundant
quantity of rice husk. India alone produces 12 million tons
of rice husks every year. Thus worldwide annual husk
Concentration of Ascorbic acid Volume of Ascorbic acid Diluent/ distilled water Total volume
(μg/ml) stock (μl) (μl) (μl)
0 -- 400 400
0.3 12 388 400
0.3 13 384 400
0.6 24 376 400
0.8 32 368 400
1.0 40 360 400
Table 1:- DPPH Assay dilutions for 10 μg/ml L-Ascorbic acid
Sample Concentration Volume of sample stock Diluent/ Ethyl acetate Total volume (μl)
(μg/ml) (μl) (μl)
0.2 Quercetin 80 320 400
0.4 Quercetin 160 240 400
0.6 Quercetin 240 160 400
0.8 Quercetin 320 80 400
Released Quersetin. 400 -- 400
Table 2:- DPPH Assay dilutions for PEG coated Quercetin loaded nanosilica and Positive controls.
All the dilutions were made 3600 μl of DPPH was role in obtaining the pure quality of silica. The silica
added to each tube, all the tubes were kept on sonicator for obtained is in form of sodium silicate (solution), after
half a minute. This was done to mix all the contents well. addition of surfactants (2 % CTAB and 2% SDS) and
The tubes were incubated in dark at room temperature for treatment with sulphuric acid the sodium silicate gets
30 minutes. The absorbance was taken at 515 nm using an converted to gel. Thus, the process is sol-gel. The obtained
UV Spectrophotometer. Based on the results, % gel is filtered and dried, SiO2 in powder form.
Scavenging activity of released quercetin was calculated
with following formula. RHA (gm) Silica synthesized % Silica
(gm) yield
25 20.4 81.60%
Table 3:- The % yield of synthesized silica
B. Characterization of Nanosilica:
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Particle Size Analysis:
A. Nanosilica Extracted from RHA: Particle size analysis was carried out, for nanosilica
The concentration of sodium hydroxide (2.5 N) used made using 2% CTAB and 2% SDS surfactant.
for extraction of silica from Rice husk ash plays significant
Fig 2:- Particle size distribution for silica made using 2% CTAB.
Fig 3:- Particle size distribution for nanosilica made using 2% SDS.
The distribution obtained in silica made using 2% result. The particle sizes obtained during 3 iterations were
CTAB is not an ideal one. The particle sizes (diameters) 142.4 nm, 140.2 nm and 159.9 with average particle
obtained in three iterations was 5638.5 nm, 4915.7 nm and diameter of 147.5 nm. It was also found that in the
13213.4 nm. These are in micrometer ranges and thus, the dispersion 10% of scanned particles were having diameter
silica powder synthesized cannot be considered as less than 68.8 nm while 90% of scanned particles were
nanosilica. This could have been happened due to having diameter less than 172.3 nm. Thus, the width of the
agglomeration. The huge variations during 3 iterations also graph tells us that the particle falls in range of around 70 –
shows that small sized particles might be present in 170 nm. Thus, nanosilica with quite low polydispersibility
solution, but presence of large particles are hiding them index (0.109) was obtained using 2% SDS surfactant. Same
from DLS laser source. This silica sample was not used for sample was used for further experimentation.
any further experimentation.
The SEM was carried out only on nanosilica made
The particle size distribution obtained for nanosilica using 2% SDS surfactant.
sample made using 2% SDS surfactant showed an ideal
Fig 4:- The SEM result for nanosilica made using 2% SDS from 5 μm
Fig 5:- The SEM result for nanosilica made using 2% SDS from 10 μm.