Application of Ferrofluid : as a Targeted Drug Delivery System in Nanotechnology

The aim of the present investigation is to explain the application of ferrofluid (Fe3O4) as target drug delivery system in nanotechnology. It works on the principle of Magnetism which plays an important role in different application of ferrofluid in medicine. Ferrofluid is biocompatible and therefore it is one of the most extensively used biomaterials for different application ranging from cell separation and drug delivery to hyperthermia. Generally, a ferrofluid in bulk as well as in the form of nano particles in liquid medium had been exploited for a variety of medical applications. In this review we have summarized many novel approaches for the use of ferrofluid in cell separation, immunoassay, drug and gene delivery, minimally invasive surgery, applications in hyperthermia, the mechanism of magnetic targeted drug delivery as well as advantages and disadvantages of ferrofluid used as a magnetic targeting. The drug and an appropriate ferrofluid are formulated into a pharmaceutically stable formulation which is usually injected through the artery that supplies the drug to target organ or tumor cells in the presence of an external magnetic field. The most important application of ferrofluid is as contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosis of disease .much have been investigated and much more are to be investigated for the use of ferrofluid in novel drug delivery system.