Effect of carrier dose on the multiple tissue disposition of doxorubicin hydrochloride administered via magnetic albumin microspheres in rats.

The effect of carrier dose on the multiple tissue disposition of doxorubicin hydrochloride has been investigated in rats. The drug was encapsulated in submicron magnetic albumin microspheres using a heat-denaturation technique. The rat tail was used as a target organ. Two groups of animals were administered 2.0 or 0.04 mg/kg of microsphere-entrapped drug via the ventral caudal artery, and the predefined tail target site was exposed to a 8000-G magnetic field for 30 min after dosing. In each group, the animals were sacrificed in triplicate over a 48-h period, and their various tissues were analyzed for drug concentration using reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC. The reduction in carrier dose was found to increase drug distribution as well as the targeting efficiency for the target tissue. The drug delivery to heart and liver was reduced. The significance of carrier dose in the targeted delivery of drugs is discussed.