Magnetism in drug delivery: The marvels of iron oxides and substituted ferrites nanoparticles

Highlights

• The conventional utilization of drugs is characterized by poor biodistribution, limited effectiveness, and lack of selectivity, besides undesirable side effects on multiple body systems.

• Seeking a DDS with a modifiable skeleton to customize drug targeting is of extreme importance for successful therapy of many diseases.

• Among the different synthesis strategies for MNPs, chemical methods are the most common, and on top of the pyramid, is the co-precipitation method.

• MNPs have customizable properties, where applying a hydrophilic coating protects the particles from opsonization and human-immunity recognition, which increases their circulation time.

• The route MNPs usually follow in the body starts with magnetic guidance to the target, immobilization for drug release, and finally clearance.

• Interestingly, multifunctional nanocomplexes with conjugated SPIONS and PEI presented enhanced transfection while decreased PEI toxicity.

• Theranostic applications of MNPs are limitless, whether it is a dual function of diagnosis and therapy simultaneously, or a multimodal imaging system.

• IONPs participate in the production of oxidative stress that leads to cell damage.

• Metal ferrite NPs can overcome the drawbacks of IONPs provided that the substituting metal in use is less toxic.

• Metal ferrite NPs present unique properties of high saturation magnetization, enhanced encapsulation efficacy, as well as enzyme-mimetic activities.

• Magnesium ferrite NPs (MFNPs) were found to exhibit greater magnetic heating capacity compared to other ferrites. MFNPs also show safe metabolism and high biocompatibility, making them a promising system for cancer applications.

Abstract

In modern drug delivery, seeking a drug delivery system (DDS) with a modifiable skeleton for proper targeting of loaded actives to specific sites in the body is of extreme importance for a successful therapy. Magnetically guided nanosystems, where particles such as iron oxides are guided to specific regions using an external magnetic field, can provide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while delivering a therapeutic payload at the same time, which represents a breakthrough in disease therapy and make MNPs excellent candidates for several biomedical applications. In this review, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) along with their distinguishable properties, including pharmacokinetics and toxicity, especially in cancer therapy will be discussed. The potential perspective of using other elements within the MNP system to reduce toxicity, improve pharmacokinetics, increase the magnetization ability, improve physical targeting precision and/or widen the scope of its biomedical application will be also discussed.