Magnetic guidance of ferro-colloid-entrapped emulsion for site-specific drug delivery.

Abstract

Magnetic guidance of magnetic emulsions with site specificity was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The emulsions consisted of ethyl oleate-based magnetic fluid as the oily dispersed phase and 1% casein solution as the aqueous continuous phase. The magnetic emulsion was characterized in vitro for magnetic responsiveness by using a constant flow apparatus, and its high retention by a magnetic field was confirmed. Ethyl oleate in the magnetic emulsion was labelled with ¹⁴C-palmitic acid and a selective localization of the magnetic emulsion at a predetermined site (lungs) by application of an electromagnet to the lungs was demonstrated. Such preferential localization by magnetic means suggested that this new carrier system can provide a highly specific delivery system for chemotherapeutic agents in cancer chemotherapy.