Smart magnetic carrier for controlled anticancer drug delivery: synthesis, characterization, and doxorubicin release

Magnetic core-shell drug-carrier microcapsules were prepared and investigated using doxorubicin (Dox) as an anticancer drug model. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 ) were coated with silica SiO 2 using a sol-gel method. Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles were functionalized with APS to obtain Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 –NH 2 . Dox was added to form Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 –NH 2 -(Dox) and wrapped in a chitosan/CaCl 2 polymer matrix. The outermost shell structure was formed with dextran and polyvinyl pyrrolidone in chloroform. This core-shell, magnetic drug-carrier microcapsule was noted (system A). The second drug-carrier microcapsule system noted (system B) was obtained by adding the Dox to the outermost layer of the polymer shell. The two-hybrid core-shell drug carriers were observed using an optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The magnetic drug carrier (A) showed greater drug release efficiency than (B) and enhanced release and magnetic performance at pH 5.8 and 7.4, suggesting it as a promising candidate for cancer cell targeting therapy.