Controlled release of anticancer drugs via the magnetic magnesium iron nanoparticles modified by graphene oxide and polyvinyl alcohol: Paclitaxel and docetaxel

Paclitaxel (PTX) and docetaxel (DTX) belong to the family of taxanes drugs which have been employed for treatment of ovarian, breast, lung, head, neck, gastric, pancreatic, bladder, prostate and cervical cancer. Controlled drug release systems improve the effectiveness of drug therapy by modifying the release profile, biodistribution, stability and solubility, bioavailability of drugs and minimize the side effects of anticancer drugs. So, the purpose of the present study was to synthesize the modified nanocomposite for the controlled releases of these drugs.

Magnetic magnesium iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via the co-precipitation chemical method and then composited with graphene oxide and modified by polyvinyl alcohol. The physicochemical characterization of the prepared nanocomposites was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM),  X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) , Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating-sample magnetometer.

Specific characteristics such as adsorption capacity, monodispersity, stability and hydrophilicity of magnetic nanomaterials were studied in the controlled release of anticancer drugs. Drug loading content and drug loading efficiency and release rate of drugs were investigated in vitro at different pH with ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). DLE and DLC of PTX and DTX in the modified magnetic nanocomposites were calculated  as 85.2 ± 2.7% and 7.74 ± 0.24% , 89.4 ± 1.2% and 8.12 ± 0.11% of, respectively. The cumulative release amount of PTX and DTX from magnetic modified nanocomposites at pHs 5.8, 7.4 over 100 h were 58 % and 40 % and 54 % and 37 %, respectively.

The potential of modified nanocomposite in drug delivery systems from the intrinsic properties of the magnetic core combined with their drug loading capability and the biomedical properties of modified nanocomposite generated by different surface coatings. The generally sustained and controlled release profile of DTX (or PTX) facilitates the application of modified nanocomposite for the delivery of anticancer drugs.