Methods for preparing nanotherapeutic compositions

A method of preparing a nanotherapeutic containing a magnetic resonance imaging moiety as an imaging agent, the method comprising:

• incorporating the magnetic resonance imaging moiety into a hierarchical silica composite by a method selected from the group consisting of wet impregnation, isomorphous substitution, and enforced impregnation, to form a magnetic hierarchical silica composite;
• treating the magnetic hierarchical silica composite at 500-600° C. for 8-16 hours to form a calcined magnetic hierarchical silica composite;
• treating the calcined magnetic hierarchical silica composite with a silanization agent to form a silane coated hierarchical silica composite;
• mixing the silane coated hierarchical silica composite with a solution of an antitumor agent to form the nanotherapeutic;
• wherein the nanotherapeutic, comprises:
• the antitumor agent;
• a fluorophore;
• the magnetic resonance imaging moiety;
• and
• the hierarchical silica composite,
• wherein the hierarchical silica composite, comprises:
• a stereoregular MCM-41 ordered arrangement of uniformly-sized mesopores with diameters in a range of 10-50 nm and mesopore walls having a thickness of 3 to about 5 nm;
• and
• a stereoregular ZSM-5 ordered arrangement of uniformly-sized micropores with diameters of less than 2 nm located within the mesopore walls of the stereoregular MCM-41;
• and
• a silane coating that coats at least a portion of a surface of the hierarchical silica
• composite,
• wherein the magnetic resonance imaging moiety is incorporated into a lattice of the hierarchical silica composite by isomorphous substitution,
• wherein the antitumor agent is located inside the mesopores of the hierarchical silica composite,
• wherein an amount of the antitumor agent is in a range of 10-20 wt. %,
• wherein an amount of the hierarchical silica composite is in a range of 15-70 wt. %,
• wherein an amount of the fluorophore is in a range of 5-7.5 wt. %, and
• wherein an amount of the magnetic resonance imaging moiety is in a range of 15-25 wt. %, all of which are relative to the total weight of the nanotherapeutic.

A method of preparing a nanotherapeutic containing a fluorophore and a magnetic resonance imaging moiety as imaging agents, the method comprising:

• incorporating the magnetic resonance imaging moiety into a hierarchical silica composite by a method selected from the group consisting of wet impregnation, isomorphous substitution, and enforced impregnation, to form a magnetic hierarchical silica composite;
• treating the magnetic hierarchical silica composite at 500-600° C. for 8-16 hours to form a calcined magnetic hierarchical silica composite;
• treating the calcined hierarchical silica composite with a silanization agent to form a silane coated hierarchical silica composite;
• mixing the silane coated hierarchical silica composite with a solution of the fluorophore to form a fluorescent hierarchical silica composite;
• and
• mixing the fluorescent hierarchical silica composite with a solution of an antitumor agent to form the nanotherapeutic;
• wherein the nanotherapeutic, comprises:
• the antitumor agent;
• the fluorophore;
• the magnetic resonance imaging moiety;
• and
• the hierarchical silica composite,
• wherein the hierarchical silica composite, comprises:
• a stereoregular MCM-41 ordered arrangement of uniformly-sized mesopores with diameters in a range of 10-50 nm and mesopore walls having a thickness of 3 to about 5 nm;
• and
• a stereoregular ZSM-5 ordered arrangement of uniformly-sized micropores with diameters of less than 2 nm located within the mesopore walls of the stereoregular MCM-41;
• and
• a silane coating that coats at least a portion of a surface of the hierarchical silica
• composite,
• wherein the magnetic resonance imaging moiety is incorporated into a lattice of the hierarchical silica composite by isomorphous substitution,
• wherein the antitumor agent is located inside the mesopores of the hierarchical silica composite,
• wherein an amount of the antitumor agent is in a range of 10-20 wt. %,
• wherein an amount of the hierarchical silica composite is in a range of 15-70 wt. %,
• wherein an amount of the fluorophore is in a range of 5-7.5 wt. %, and
• wherein an amount of the magnetic resonance imaging moiety is in a range of 15-25 wt. %, all of which are relative to the total weight of the nanotherapeutic.