A novel method to prepare magnetite chitosan microspheres conjugated with methotrexate (MTX) for the controlled release of MTX as a magnetic targeting drug delivery system.

The purpose of the present study is to develop a new method to prepare magnetite chitosan microspheres conjugated with methotrexate (MTX) for the controlled release of MTX as a magnetic targeting drug delivery system. MTX was first conjugated to the chitosan chain via a peptide bond and then a suspension cross-linking technique was used for the production of magnetic chitosan microspheres with glutaraldehyde as the cross-linker. The MTX-loading capacity of the magnetic chitosan microspheres was determined and drug release experiments were also carried out to discuss the MTX release behavior. All the data support that the magnetic chitosan-MTX microspheres prepared in this method would have great potential application in magnetic targeting drug delivery technology.