Development of Magnetic Pickering Emulsion for Magnetic Drug Delivery Systems

Abstract

Abstract We have been investigating magnetic drug delivery systems (MDDS), which can selectively deliver drugs to affected areas within the body using a magnetic field. In this study, we developed Magnetic Pickering Emulsions (MPEs) as a novel drug delivery carrier. MPEs can not only induce and accumulate drugs at the targeted site but also control the drug release rate using a magnetic field. In this study, we prepared MPEs using ferromagnetic magnetite nanoparticles and evaluated the control of drug release rate by the magnetic force. MPEs with a particle diameter of several tens of μm gradually released the encapsulated substance for 60 minutes under an applied magnetic field of less than 3 T. On the other hand, for 30 minutes under a magnetic field of more than 4 T, the release rate increased about 2.6 times faster than that under 3 T. These results indicate that MPEs can control the drug release rate by magnetic force.