Abstract: The poorly-water soluble drug naproxen(NAP) was loaded on modified and unmodified mesoporous molecular sieves MCM-41. The drug-loaded samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), differential scanning caborimetry(DSC), scanning electron microscopy(SEM) analysis, transmission electron microscopy(TEM) analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, respectively. The results showed that the hexagonal mesoporous structure was still remained after loading with drug molecules, which were entrapped inside the mesopores. The dissolution rate of NAP released from mesoporous molecular sieves MCM-41 was faster compared with the dissolution rate of pure NAP. In simulated intestinal fluid, the MCM-41-NAP and MCM-41-NH2-NAP exhibited 70% mass fraction burst release within 60 min. Remarkably, the dissolution rate of NAP released from all mesoporous materials is faster compared with the dissolution rate of pure NAP. At the same time, the release rate of NAP from the functionalized mesoporous materials was effectively controlled compared with that of the unmodified materials.

Key words: molecular sieves MCM-41, modify, enhancement dissolution, naproxen