Many groups have already investigated the use of NiCu magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as mediators for magnetic fluid hyperthermia, but we were the first to report the potential of NiCu MNPs as bimodal ...therapeutic systems, capable of simultaneous magnetic hyperthermia (MH) and targeted drug delivery. The superparamagnetic nanoparticles have a magnetic core, which enables their manipulation through an external magnetic field, a biocompatible layer, providing a surface for attachment of suitable receptors for targeting specific tissues, and a therapeutic load either incorporated inside the coating pores or hosted within internal cavities of the particles. In this study, we incorporated three model drugs with different pharmacological activity into superparamagnetic Ni
x
Cu
1−
x
nanoparticles. The superparamagnetic Ni
x
Cu
1−
x
nanoparticles were prepared using a sol–gel method, and exhibited a Curie temperature (
T
C
) in the therapeutic range for use in MH. The nanoparticles were prepared in a silica matrix to avoid their agglomeration during thermal treatment and to provide suitable compartments for incorporation inside the pores. The release of the incorporated drugs paracetamol, bupivacaine hydrochloride, and pentoxifylline was studied using an in vitro release system, where UV–visible spectrophotometry (UV/Vis) was used for quantification of the released drug. The Ni
x
Cu
1−
x
nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/SDTA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements. Surface area and pore size were determined by using BET analysis. Finally, the biocompatibility of the samples was tested on human skin-derived fibroblasts.
Highlights
NiCu MNPs are often functionalized to improve their potential for biomedicine.
NiCu magnetic nanoparticles are very promising for multimodal cancer therapies through combination of magnetic hyperthermia and controlled drug delivery.
Controlled drug delivery systems have several advantages compared with traditional pharmaceutical formulations.
In the past two decades, several novel nanoparticles (NPs) were shown to have great potential to be used as drug delivering systems. This is especially true for superparamagnetic nanoparticles ...(MNPs), which exhibit their magnetic properties only when there is an influence of external magnetic fields. These have received much attention in the last couple of years due to a relatively simple chemical structure, ease of preparation, possible preparation in various shapes and very small sizes, as well due to their favorable properties in biomedical applications (e.g., biocompatibility). Controlled drug delivery systems have several advantages compared to traditional pharmaceutical formulations. For example, these can enable drug transportation to the desired site of action in the body, through which, its influence on healthy tissues, as well as unwanted effects, can be minimized. Such form of delivery is most important in case of drugs with a very narrow therapeutic index or if the drug itself is a toxic compound as is the case in many antitumor drugs. In this study, we prepared a novel controlled drug delivery formulation using the sol–gel procedure, composed of Ni
67.5
Cu
32.5
MNPs in a silica matrix. As the model drug, we used the fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G (RHO6G) to ease the evaluation of the delivery performance to various human cells (human fibroblast cell line, HeLa cells, and Caco-2 cells). The drug release performance was assessed also using in vitro drug release studies. The combination of different physico-chemical and morphological methods with biocompatibility studies served as a general evaluation of the novel formulations safety and efficiency. Graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
The present book covers all research areas related to magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic nanorods, and other magnetic nanospecies, their preparation, characterization, and various applications, ...specifically emphasizing biomedical applications. The chapters written by the leading experts cover different subareas of the science and technology related to various magnetic nanospecies—providing broad coverage of this multifaceted area and its applications. The different topics addressed in this book will be of great interest to the interdisciplinary community active in the area of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It is hoped that this collection and its various chapters will be important and beneficial for researchers and students working in various areas related to bionanotechnology, materials science, biosensor applications, medicine, and many others. Furthermore, this book is aimed at attracting young scientists and introducing them to this field, in addition to providing newcomers with an enormous collection of literature references.
