Chitosan/Agarose-Encapsulated Oleic Acid-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles As a Chemotherapeutic-Loaded Scaffold for Drug Delivery: Physico-Chemical and in Vitro Biological Characteristics Publisher Pubmed



Falahatpisheh S¹ ; Naghib SM² ; Naimijamal MR¹ ; Jafari KM² ; Sartipzadeh O³
Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules Published:2025

Abstract

Targeted drug delivery (TDD) offers a promising approach to address the limitations of conventional chemotherapy. This study presents a novel drug delivery system using a chitosan (CS)/agarose (AG) scaffold incorporating oleic acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs/OA) for controlled doxorubicin release. Hydrothermally synthesized MNPs were functionalized with oleic acid, a biocompatible surfactant, to improve stability before incorporation into a chitosan-agarose (CS-AG) matrix. The formation of the composite AG-CS-MNPs/OA was characterized and verified using different methods, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM). Chitosan is a valuable biomaterial due to its pH sensitivity, natural origin, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and bio adhesive properties. In-vitro drug release experiments revealed a pH-dependent behavior, with increased DOX release observed under acidic conditions (pH = 4.5), which are characteristic of tumor sites, compared to a neutral (pH = 7.4). The release dynamics, best captured by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model, indicated a Fickian diffusion mechanism. Cytotoxicity assessments on MCF-7 breast cancer cells showed enhanced drug effectiveness at acidic pH, supporting the concept of targeted delivery. These findings suggest that the chitosan/agarose-magnetite scaffold is a promising candidate for pH-sensitive, controlled drug delivery, potentially enhancing cancer treatment by minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.