Vol 10, Issue 6, 2017 Online - 2455-3891 Print - 0974-2441 MAGNETIC MICROSPHERE AN EMERGING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM DIKSHA SHARMA*, ABHISHEK SHARMA Department of Pharmacy, L. R. Institute of Pharmacy, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. Email: sharma25pharmacy@gmail.com Received: 24 January 2017, Revised and Accepted: 06 March 2017 ABSTRACT The drug delivery system has been advanced to release the drug according to the body requirement during the entire period of treatment and also for the delivery at the targeted site. Several novel drug delivery systems have emerged encompassing different route of administration to achieve controlled and targeted drug delivery, magnetic microsphere carrier being one of them. Magnetic microsphere is an alternative to traditional radiation methods. As the traditional radiation methods use highly penetrating radiation that is absorbed throughout the body and cause side effects hence its use is limited. Therefore, a safe and effective alternate is needed like magnetic microsphere. The excessive circulating drug particles are minimized by this delivery system. Moreover, the aim of specific targeting is to enhance the effectiveness of drug delivery and at the same time to lessen the toxicity and side effects. Magnetic carriers receive magnetic responses to a magnetic field from incorporated materials that are used for magnetic microsphere are chitosan, dextran, etc. One of the most utilized magnetic microspheres is serum albumine whether from human or other suitable animals. Drug release from the albumin microsphere can be controlled by various stabilization procedures. Overall, the targeted magnetic microsphere is much valuable novel drug delivery system for what more work have to be done. By knowing the importance of all this, the present paper reviews the mechanism, preparation, and applications of magnetic microspheres. As the targeted drug delivery system implies selective and effective localization of drug into the target at therapeutic concentrations with limited access to non-target sites. Magnetic microspheres hold great promises for reaching the goal of controlled and site-specific drug delivery. Keywords: Magnetic microspheres, Targeted drug delivery, Target sites, Body, Radiation, Efficiency, Toxicity, Reduce side effect. INTRODUCTION Extensive labors have been dedicated in recent years to utilize potential pharmaceutical devices like novel drug delivery systems. Design and development of novel drug delivery system have two basics. First, it should distribute the drug in accordance with a predetermined rate, and second, it should release therapeutically effective quantity of drug at the site of action [1,2]. Conventional drug delivery undergoes from several drawbacks such as increased variation in the circulatory drug level, extra frequency of dosage administration, increased gastrointestinal irritation, and dose-related side effects. To solve these disadvantages, controlled release drug delivery systems have been planned for even and constant drug release over a prolonged period [3]. The steady drug release is achieved by use of different kinds of polymeric systems; biodegradable polymer microspheres are one of the most common types which are used as a targeted drug delivery systems. Microspheres can encapsulate many types of drugs with small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids are easily administered through a syringe needle. They are normally biocompatible, can give high bioavailability, and are capable of constant release for long periods [4]. Magnetite offers a large potential for innovation in electronics, optoelectronics, magnetic storage, biomedical, Ferrofluid, separation, and magnetically guided drug carriers for targeting the therapy [5]. Magnetic microsphere is small particle, with diameter in the micrometer range (1-1000 µm). Magnetic microsphere is occasionally referred to as microparticles. Magnetic polymer microspheres are generally composed of magnetic cores to make sure for strong magnetic response and polymeric shells to give positive functional groups and protect from particle aggregation [6]. Small amounts of drug targeted magnetically to restricted sites can replace large doses of drug that, using traditional administration methods, freely flow in the blood and beat the target site in a generalized way only. Moreover, drugs within the sphere are protected from breaking down during transport. Such drugs are targeted instead of distributed in blood and do not harm sensitive organs such as bone marrow. Magnetic microspheres are a substitute to traditional radiation methods which use extremely penetrating radiation that is absorbed throughout the body. Its use is limited by toxicity and side effects. Magnetic radioactive microspheres are applied in a way similar to non-radioactive spheres. A magnet, placed outside the body, is directed to the target site. The magnet can be a rod-shaped permanent magnet of any size or can be contained in equipment that looks like an open magnetic resonance imaging scanner. The loaded microspheres are introduced into a blood vessel and in as little as half an hour; they get collected at the target site to emit radiation which kills surrounding cancer cells. The remedial action is achieved usually in a couple of days or weeks depending on the material used. The treatment can be repeated if required. Spheres are prepared with microscopic magnetic particles, such as iron [5,6], so these particles can be retained at the target site by the application of an external magnetic field of suitable strength. Magnetic fields are supposed to be safe to biological systems and adaptable to any part of the body. PRINCIPLES OF MAGNETIC DRUG TARGETING The principle of this treatment shows that the magnetic drug can be retained at or made to flow toward the target site by the application of an external magnetic field. Retention of magnetic carrier at target site will decrease reticuloendothelial clearance and increase site specificity [7]. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4. 0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i6.17284 Review Article