was investigated, and it was unveiled that F@BSA@CUR NPs possess much higher

cytotoxicity than free CUR, against MCF-7 breast cancer cells owing to sustained

drug release in a 96 h incubation time (Nosrati et al. 2018a). Furthermore, Kalita

et al. employed magnetic Fe3O4@zirconium phosphate core-shell NPs as efficient

vehicles for the delivery of curcumin to treat breast cancer (Kalita et al. 2016). A

similar study was conducted by Mancarella et al. which involves the designing of

functionalized Fe3O4 MNPs via coating with two different polymers: dextran and

poly(L-lysine). Further, the obtained nanohybrid was subjected to loading of

curcumin for the treatment of ovarian cancer (Mancarella et al. 2015).

In drug delivery stream, the transfer of therapeutic agent to the brain is the most

challenging approach. But the development of such an approach is the need of the

hour due to the growing prevalence of brain cancers and low efficiency of the

available treatments. Nosrati et al. managed to develop MRI-monitored paclitaxel

(PTX) delivery vehicle across the blood-brain barrier. In the current method, L-

aspartic acid-coated IONPs were fabricated, and further these were conjugated by

PTX, PEG (polyethylene glycol), and GSH (glutathione) for enhancing the brain

delivery

of

PTX.

Furthermore,

the

biocompatibility,

cytotoxicity,

and

hemocompatibility of the developed drug system were monitored by MRI (Nosrati

et al. 2018a).

Fig. 24.2 Conceptual scheme of the approach for multitasking drug magnetic carriers.

(Reproduced with permission from Yang et al. (2017a) (open access))

460

Renu et al.