Advancing Cancer Therapy: Magnetic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Targeted Drug Delivery

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 653

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ponta Grossa State University, Ponta Grossa 84, Paraná 030-900, Brazil
Interests: controlled drug release; nanoparticles; pharmaceutical technology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University—UNESP, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, Brazil
Interests: magnetic nanoparticles; biomagnetism; digestive system physiology; pharmaceutical technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have emerged as a promising platform for enhancing targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy, significantly improving therapeutic efficacy and precision. These nanoparticles, typically composed of magnetic materials such as iron oxide, can be engineered to carry chemotherapeutic agents, while their magnetic properties enable controlled delivery to specific tumor sites through the application of an external magnetic field. This technique minimizes systemic side effects and improves drug accumulation at the target site, thereby increasing the therapeutic potential of anticancer drugs.

The unique features of magnetic nanoparticles, including their size, surface functionality, and ability to respond to external stimuli, make them ideal candidates for various cancer treatment strategies. They not only enhance the bioavailability and stability of drugs but also facilitate the possibility of multimodal therapies, combining drug delivery with imaging or hyperthermia treatments. This Special Issue will explore recent advancements in the development and application of magnetic nanoparticles in cancer therapy, highlighting innovative strategies, challenges, and future directions in this field. Contributions from leading researchers will provide a comprehensive overview of how these nanomaterials can shape the future of cancer treatment, offering new hope for more effective and personalized therapies.

Dr. Priscileila Colerato Ferrari
Prof. Dr. José Ricardo De Arruda Miranda
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cancer therapy
  • drug delivery
  • magnetic drug targeting
  • superparamagnetism
  • hyperthermia
  • magnetite
  • ferrite
  • iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles
  • superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles
  • cytotoxicity
  • apoptosis
  • magnetic biosensors
  • magnetic imaging
  • theranostics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 27840 KiB  
Article
Polymer-Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles for Targeted Quercetin Delivery: A Potential Strategy for Colon Cancer Treatment
by Júlia Borges de Macedo, Julia Narayana Schoroeder Bueno, Carla Cristine Kanunfre, José Ricardo de Arruda Miranda, Andris Figueiroa Bakuzis and Priscileila Colerato Ferrari
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(4), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17040467 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 516
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems improve pharmacokinetic aspects, including controlled release and drug targeting, increasing therapeutic efficacy, and reducing toxicity in conventional colon cancer treatment. The superparamagnetism of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) appears to be a potential alternative for magnetothermal therapy, inducing tumor [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems improve pharmacokinetic aspects, including controlled release and drug targeting, increasing therapeutic efficacy, and reducing toxicity in conventional colon cancer treatment. The superparamagnetism of magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) appears to be a potential alternative for magnetothermal therapy, inducing tumor cell death by an external magnetic field. Therefore, this study aimed to develop chitosan (CS) and folate-chitosan (FA-CS)-coated MNP to improve the stability and targeting of the system for quercetin (Q) delivery. Methods: After FA-CS synthesis and 32 factorial design, polymer-functionalized MNPs were produced for quercetin loading, characterized, and evaluated by drug dissolution and cytotoxicity assay. Results: The factorial design indicated the positive influence of CS on MNPs’ Zeta potential, followed by the CS–temperature interaction. Optimized formulations had hydrodynamic diameters of 122.32 ± 8.56 nm, Zeta potentials of +30.78 ± 0.8 mV, and loading efficiencies of 80.45% (MNP-CS-Q) and 54.4% (MNP-FA-CS-Q). The 24 h drug release was controlled in MNP-CS-Q (up to 6.4%) and MNP-FA-CS-Q (up to 7.7%) in a simulated tumor medium, with Fickian diffusion release mechanism correlated to the Korsmeyer–Peppas model (R > 0.99). The cytotoxicity assay in HCT-116 showed a higher (p < 0.001) dose-dependent antitumor effect of quercetin-loaded MNP compared to free drug, with IC50s of 1.46 (MNP-CS) and 1.30 µg·mL−1 (MNP-FA-CS). Conclusions: Therefore, this study contributes to the development of biomedical nanotechnology and the magnetic debate by highlighting the antitumor potential of quercetin magnetic nanoparticles. The experimental design allows the discussion of critical manufacturing variables and the determination of optimal parameters for the formulations. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop