Abstract
Since cancer incidence is constantly increasing, novel and more efficient treatment methods that overcome the current limitations of chemotherapy are continuously explored. In this context, the aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of two types of magnetite microspheres as drug delivery vehicles for the controlled release of rosmarinic acid (RA) in anticancer therapies. The magnetite microspheres were obtained through the solvothermal method by using polyethylene glycol (PEG) with two different molecular weights as the surfactant. The physicochemical characterization of the so-obtained drug delivery carriers involved X-ray diffraction (XRD) coupled with Rietveld refinement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The magnetite-based anticancer agents were biologically evaluated through the ROS-Glo H(2)O(2) and MTT assays. Results proved the formation of magnetite spheres with submicronic sizes and the effective RA loading and controlled release, while the biological assays demonstrated the anticancer potential of the present systems. Thus, this study successfully developed a promising drug delivery alternative based on magnetite that could be used in the continuous fight against cancer.