Biocompatible polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles are designed with an objective to sharp-shoot cancer by loading anticancer drugs on them and delivering to the target site. In this work, novel biocompatible polymers of poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolide), functionalized with β-cyclodextrin and β-cyclodextrin-folate conjugate are synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques. Magnetic ytterbium ferrite nanoparticles are prepared, and the synthesized polymers are coated on them. The polymer-coated nanoparticles are intended to be employed as magnetic nanocarriers that transport the anticancer drug, camptothecin. The ferrite nanoparticles are superparamagnetic in nature. Camptothecin was loaded in the nanocarriers and the adsorption percentage was near or above 90%. Study of the in vitro release of camptothecin from the nanocarrier reveals its sustained nature, i.e. a cumulative release of about 50% at 72 h and a pH of 7.4. A pH-dependent enhanced release of 60% is observed, i.e. at a more acidic pH of 6.8. In vitro anti-cancer studies on breast cancer cell lines (MCF7) were carried out. The cell inhibition is enhanced in the case of camptothecin-loaded nanocarrier. The enhanced efficacy of the camptothecin, its sustained release, and the size of the nanocarrier in the range that is considered suitable for magnetic field-assisted drug delivery reveal the magnetic nanocarrier promising for transport of the drug.
Keywords: Camptothecin; Drug delivery; Ferrite; Magnetic nanoparticles; PLGA; β-Cyclodextrin.
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