Targeting Magnetic Nanoparticles in High Magnetic Fields for Drug Delivery Purposes
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Targeting Magnetic Nanoparticles in High Magnetic Fields for Drug Delivery Purposes Ramazan Asmatulu 1, Richard .O. Claus 1, Judy S. Riffle 2 and Michael Zalich 2 1 Fiber & Electro Optics Research Center, Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech, 106 Plantation Road, Blacksburg, VA 24061 2 Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, 2018 Hahn Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061 ABSTRACT Biodegradable magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized using Poly(L-Lactic Acid) and magnetite nanoparticles (~14 nm) at different dosages, and then these nanaoparticles (nanocomposites) and pure magnetic particles were targeted in external magnetic fields by changing the test parameters. The magnetic field test results showed that magnetic saturation, fluid speed, magnetic field distance and particle size were extremely effective for a magnetic guidance system that is needed for an effective drug delivery approach. Thus, it is assumed that such nanoparticles can carry drugs (chemotherapy) to be able to cure cancer tumors as well as many other diseases. INTRODUCTION Cancer is the second leading disease of death in the United States; half of American men and one-third of American women will probably develop cancer during their lifetimes [1,2]. Cancer develops when mutated cells begin to proliferate without response to normal mechanisms controlling growth and differentiation [1-3]. Unlike most normal cells, cancer cells may infiltrate connective tissue, gain access to the circulation and travel to distant sites, where new malignancies are produced (Figure 1) [11]. There are a number of risk factors associated with the development of cancer, including age, sex, familial incidence, and environmental factors (i.e., tobacco, alcohol, diet, pollution, contaminations, strong sunlight (radiation), etc.) [3-10].
Figure 1. Schematic illustration of cancer growth and metastasis. Treatment methods including surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, biologic therapy and chemotherapy are used singly or in combination to cure or stabilize cancer patients based on the type and stage of cancer, age, health status and personal preferences. Chemotherapy is extensively used to treat tumors; but may be limited because of the common deleterious side effects associated with systemic distribution and metabolism of drugs. These side effects may include anemia, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, hair loss, diarrhea, constipation, infections, pain and chemo brain (i.e., lapses in memory or train of thought), which occur because of the associated healthy tissue damage during chemotherapy treatments [2,3]. Recently, researchers in the U.S. have been trying to develop targeted therapeutic systems by using external forces including magnetic fields, ultrasound, electric fields, temperature, light and mechanical forces to concentrate drugs within tumors [3,4]. These systems require externally generated forces to first localize, and then activate a cancer drug at a specific targeted area. Among these, magnetic fields (between 100 and 5000 Gaus
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