Chitosan-coated boronic acid modified magnetic alginate microbeads: dual encapsulation and release of 5-fluorouracil and resveratrol

In this study, it was aimed to develop magnetic microbeads for dual delivery of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and Resveratrol (RES). Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were coated with alginate, modified with 3-aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) by carbodiimide chemistry, gelled with CaCl₂, and coated with chitosan after drug loading by swelling method. FTIR, TEM, SEM, ESR, and XRD were used for characterization. Microbeads were further investigated for entrapment efficiency (EE), swelling analysis, in vitro release, and cytotoxicity. Entrapment efficiencies were 62.2 ± 0.78 and 27.1 ± 0.98% w/w for 5-FU and RES, respectively. Drug release was studied at pH 1.5, 5.5, 6.8, and 7.4. Microbeads exhibited the highest release at pH 6.8 (65.3 ± 2.50% w/w for 5-FU and 45.4 ± 1.80% w/w for RES). Release kinetics conformed to Higuchi model at pH 6.8 and Korsmeyer-Peppas at pHs 5.5 and 7.4. Microbeads containing 300 µg/mL drug reduced cell viability of HT-29 colon cancer cell line below 50% in cytotoxicity experiments.