In this paper, it is proposed that polymer-coated magnetic nanorods (MNRs) can be\nused with the advantage of a double objective: first, to serve as magnetic hyperthermia agents,\nand second, to be used as magnetic vehicles for the antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX). Two different\nsynthetic methodologies (hydrothermal and co-precipitation) were used to obtain MNRs of maghemite\nand magnetite. They were coated with poly(ethyleneimine) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate),\nand loaded with DOX, using the Layer-by-Layer technique. Evidence of the polymer coating and\nthe drug loading was justified by ATR-FTIR and electrophoretic mobility measurements, and the\ncomposition of the coated nanorods was obtained by a thermogravimetric analysis. The nanorods\nwere tested as magnetic hyperthermia agents, and it was found that they provided sufficiently large\nheating rates to be used as adjuvant therapy against solid tumors. DOX loading and release were\ndetermined by UV-visible spectroscopy, and it was found that up to 50% of the loaded drug was\nreleased in about 5 h, although the rate of release could be regulated by simultaneous application of\nhyperthermia, which acts as a sort of external release-trigger. Shape control offers another physical\nproperty of the particles as candidates to interact with tumor cells, and particles that are not too\nelongated can easily find their way through the cell membrane.
Loading....