Doxorubicin-loaded core@shell cobalt ferrite-barium titanate magnetoelectric nanofibers for improved anticancer activity.

Abstract

Conventional drug delivery systems often suffer from non-specific distribution and limited therapeutic efficacy, leading to significant side effects. To address these challenges, we developed magnetoelectric, cobalt ferrite@barium titanate (CFO@BTO) nanofibers, with a core-shell structure for targeted anticancer drug delivery. The electrospinning method was employed to synthesize polymeric nanofibers based on magnetoelectric core-shell nanostructures. The Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis confirmed the successful loading of nanostructures on polymeric nanofiber, the core-shell morphology and magnetoelectric phase of cobalt ferrite@barium titanate CFO@BTO, respectively. To verify the drug attachment, the optimization of drug release in an applied external magnetic field, and the time required for control drug release, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used. The effectiveness of magnetic field-assisted controlled drug release was demonstrated by achieving a 95 ± 1.03% drug release from magnetoelectric nanofibers (MENFs) within 30 minutes under a magnetic field of 4mT. In vitro cytotoxicity assay on human skin cancer (SK-MEL-28) cell lines exhibited a maximum 90 ± 2% cytotoxicity with 2±0.03 cm of drug loaded MENFs. Furthermore, the Hemolysis assay was carried out to affirm the biocompatibility and non-toxicity of drug loaded MENFs, which is suitable for anticancer therapy.