ABSTRACT:
A number of novel drug delivery systems have emerged encompassing various routes of administration, to achieve controlled and targeted drug delivery, magnetic microcarriers being one of them. These microcarriers include magnetic microspheres, magnetic liposomes, magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic resealed erythrocytes, magnetic emulsion etc. Magnetic micro/nanoparticles and molecular magnetic labels have been used for great number of application in various areas of biosciences, targeted drug delivery, imaging and in bio separation technology. These projects will discuss about principle of magnetic targeting, mechanism of magnetic targeted drug delivery, benefits and drawbacks of magnetic targeting, magnetic microcarriers and application of magnetism in targeted drug delivery and some other field. Magnetically targeted drug delivery by particulate carriers is an efficient method of delivering drugs to localized disease sites such as tumours. High concentrations of chemotherapeutic or radiological agents can be achieved near the target site without any toxic effects to normal surrounding tissue. Non-targeted applications of magnetic microspheres and nanospheres include their use as contrast agents and as drug reservoirs that can be activated by a magnet applied outside the body. Historic and current applications of magnetic microspheres will be discussed, as well as future directions and problems to be overcome for the efficient and beneficial use of magnetic carriers in clinical practice.