The purpose of this study was to create an optimized method for preparation of 5-fluorouracil-loaded magnetic poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanocapsules and to investigate its potential as multifunctional carriers to deliver therapeutic agents for tumor-targeted therapies. The in vitro release of the newly synthesized 5-fluorouracil-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid magnetic nanocapsules was investigated in phosphate-buffered saline medium using the dialysis method. In vivo release studies of the magnetic nanocapsules were performed in rabbits. Finally, the targeting properties, anti-tumor, and pro-apoptotic effects of this new magnetic nanocapsule on CT26 cells allograft model were studied. The effective diameter of nanocapsules was 67.2 nm. In vivo release investigations showed that 5-fluorouracil has a sustained release profile, prolonged lifetime in the rabbit plasma, and increased tissue appetency when loaded into the magnetic nanocapsule. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed that the magnetic nanocapsules were successfully targeted to the tumor. Additionally, the anti-tumor studies revealed that the targeted therapy with magnetic nanocapsules containing 5-fluorouracil effectively inhibits the growth of tumors compared with 5-fluorouracil alone (P < 0.01). The present study demonstrates that this new magnetic nanocapsule can be considered a new nanotechnology-based cancer chemotherapy agent in vivo.
Keywords: 5-fluorouracil; Colon cancer; PLGA; magnetic nanocapsule; nanotechnology.
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