This article describes the synthesis, characterization, in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxicity evaluation of chitosan-iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 -CS) as vehicles for ibuprofen (IBU) molecule. Magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation of iron salts and coated with chitosan, leading to the formation of Fe 3 O 4 -CS hybrid nanoparticles, and then IBU was adsorbed on the surface of the modified nanoparticles. The physicochemical, morphological, and magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were determined by X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and SQUID magnetic measurements. The nanoparticles have shown stability in aqueous medium presenting an average hydrodynamic size of 36 ± 9 nm for Fe 3 O 4 -CS, and 132 ± 1 nm for Fe 3 O 4 -CS-IBU. The cytotoxicity of nanoparticles using the cell viability of the blood mononuclear cell fraction and the analysis of gene expression of the repair genes hMSH2, hMSH6 and NF-kB were performed to evaluate their applicability as drug carriers. The results showed that Fe 3 O 4 -CS nanoparticles are suitable candidates as magnetic vehicles for ibuprofen in biomedical applications.
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