Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) covalently coated by PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymer for drug delivery

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science 2013-04, Vol.395, p.50-57
• Main Authors: Wang, Ning, Guan, Yueping, Yang, Liangrong, Jia, Lianwei, Wei, Xuetuan, Liu, Huizhou, Guo, Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ambient temperature; aqueous solutions; body condition; Chemistry; coatings; Colloidal state and disperse state; composite polymers; Curcumin; drug carriers; Drug delivery system; Drug Delivery Systems; drugs; Exact sciences and technology; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; General and physical chemistry; humans; hydrodynamics; hydrophobicity; Magnetic nanoparticles; Magnetics; magnetite; nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Pluronic; Poloxalene - chemistry; Polyethylene Glycols - chemistry; Propylene Glycols - chemistry; Stable carrier; Surface Properties; Temperature-responsive; transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2012.11.062

[Display omitted] ► The magnetic nanoparticles are covalently coated by Pluronic P85 as drug carriers. ► The synthesis route of the drug carriers is easy and green. ► The drug carriers are superparamagnetic, water-disperse, and temperature-responsive. ► The drug carriers greatly improve the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin. ► The drug carriers are more stable, biocompatible, and suitable for drug delivery. A stable drug carrier has been prepared by covalently coating magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymer Pluronic P85. The particles were characterized by TEM, XRD, DLS, VSM, FTIR, and TGA. A typical product has a 15nm magnetite core and a 100nm hydrodynamic diameter with a narrow size distribution and is superparamagnetic with large saturation magnetization (57.102emu/g) at room temperature. The covalently-coated Pluronic-MNPs (MagPluronics) were proven to be stable in different conditions, such as aqueous solution, 0.2M PBS solution, and pH 13.5 solution, which would be significant for biological applications. Furthermore, MagPluronics also possess temperature-responsive property acquired from the Pluronic copolymer layer on their surface, which can cause conformational change of Pluronics and improve load and delivery efficiency of the particles. The temperature-controlled loading and releasing of hydrophobic model drug curcumin were tested with these particles. A loading efficiency of 81.3% and a sustained release of more than 4days were achieved in simulated human body condition. It indicates that the covalently-coated MagPluronics are stable carriers with good drug-loading capacity and controlled-release property.