ABSTRACT
A pH-responsive polymer derived from polyethyleneimine with zwitterionic function was used as a shell around super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), to introduce an efficient drug carrier for cancer drug delivery and imaging. Core–shell magnetic Fe3O4@FA-PEI-SUC (SUC: Succinate conjugated) nanoparticles were attained and characterized. Right chemical attachments, 61.34% modification of primary amino groups of poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) in PEI–SUC, spherical shape, core–shell structure, crystal structure of SPIONs, 18.23% polymer coating of NPs, 8% decrease in magnetization following polymer coating around SPIONs, doxorubicin loading efficiency 85.19%, two times more released amount in acidic pH, and proper toxicity results were obtained by different analysis methods.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
![](/cms/asset/e6bb509e-2e17-4c56-b971-7a8e599fc71a/gpom_a_1405348_uf0001_oc.jpg)
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Professor Seyed Esmaeil Sadat Ebrahimi (TUMS, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry) for laboratory equipment and facilities.