Applications of mesoporous silica encapsulated gold nanorods loaded doxorubicin in chemo-photothermal therapy

We investigate chemo-photothermal effects of gold nanorods (GNRs) coated using mesoporous silica (mSiO2) loading doxorubicin (DOX). When the mesoporous silica layer is embedded by doxorubicin drugs, a significant change in absorption spectra enable to quantify the drug loading. We carry out photothermal experiments on saline and livers of mice having GNRs@mSiO2 and GNRs@mSiO2-DOX. We also inject the gold nanostructures into many tumor-implanted mice and use laser illumination on some of them. By measuring weight and size of tumors, the distinct efficiency of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy on treatment is determined. We experimentally confirm the accumulation of gold nanostructures in liver.