Magnetic pH-responsive poly(methacrylic acid–co-acrylic acid)-co-polyvinylpyrrolidone magnetic nano-carrier for controlled delivery of fluvastatin

• A magnetic nano-carrier based on pH responsive polymer coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles was prepared.
• The carrier was characterized by XRD, TEM, FT-IR, TGA and DSC methods.
• The loading and release characteristics of carrier were investigated using fluvastatin as the model drug.
• The prepared carrier is useful for controlled delivery of fluvastatin in low pH.

A novel pH-responsive polymer, poly(methacrylic acid–co-acrylic acid)-co-polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (polymeric nano-carrier) was synthesized and used for encapsulation of 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles to prepare a new magnetic nano-carrier. The loading and release characteristics of both polymeric and magnetic nano-carriers were investigated using fluvastatin as the model drug. The loading behavior of the carriers was studied by varying concentration of fluvastatin in aqueous medium at 25 °C and their release was followed spectrophotometrically (at 304 nm) at 37 °C in three different solutions (buffered at pH 1.2, 5.5 and 7.2) to simulate gastric and intestine medium. The effect of different parameters on the release of fluvastatin such as the amount of methacrylic acid monomer, cross-linker amount, initiator amount, and magnetic nanoparticles content was also studied. Considering the release kinetics and mechanism of the magnetic nanocarrier besides swelling behavior study of the polymeric nano-carrier reveal Fickian pattern and diffusion controlled mechanism for delivery of fluvastatin.