SURFACE-ENGINEERED Fe3O4 NANOPARTICLESFOR ENHANCED ANTICANCER DRUG LOADING

This study focuses on the synthesis, surface modification, and drug loading of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles for potential cancer therapy.Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using a coprecipitation method, followed by surface coating with dextran and cross-linked dextran.The model anticancer drug, 5,7-dihydroxyflavone, was loaded onto the nanoparticles using physical adsorption.The structural characteristics of the prepared samples were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy.FTIR analysis confirmed successful surface functionalization, while the drug loading efficiency was quantified by UV-Vis.spectroscopy.Mathematical calculations based on UV-Vis.absorbance data showed that the 5,7-dihydroxyflavone loading efficiency of Fe3O4/CL-Dex/Drug (~43%) was approximately 7% higher than that of Fe3O4/Dex/Drug (~36%).These results demonstrate that cross-linked dextran significantly improved the stability and drug-loading capacity of the nanoparticles.The enhanced drug loading efficiency further supports the hypothesis that Fe3O4/CL-Dex/Drug nanoparticles are more effective nanocarrier system for hydrophobic bioactive compounds.This study highlights the importance of surface modification in enhancing the stability and efficacy of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for biomedical applications, particularly in targeted drug delivery for cancer treatment.