Recently, the electrospinning (ES) process has been extensively studied due to its potential applications in various fields, particularly pharmaceutical and biomedical purposes. The production rate using typical ES technology is usually around 0.01–1 g/h, which is lower than pharmaceutical industry production requirements. Therefore, different companies have worked to develop electrospinning equipment, technological solutions, and electrospun materials into large-scale production. Different approaches have been explored to scale-up the production mainly by increasing the nanofiber jet through multiple needles, free-surface technologies, and hybrid methods that use an additional energy source. Among them, needleless and centrifugal methods have gained the most attention and applications. Besides, the production rate reached (450 g/h in some cases) makes these methods feasible in the pharmaceutical industry. The present study overviews and compares the most recent ES approaches successfully developed for nanofibers’ large-scale production and accompanying challenges with some examples of applied approaches in drug delivery systems. Besides, various types of commercial products and devices released to the markets have been mentioned.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are frequently utilized as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the release of iron ions leads to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in cell damage. In this study, we developed MRI contrast agents containing amine-functionalized MnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with a Prussian blue (PB) surface coating to enhance their biocompatibility. The prepared MNPs were embedded in polyvinylpyrrolidone and dried. The resulting crystals can be redispersed in water immediately before use, forming a stable colloid. The particle size of nanoparticles (43 ± 13 nm) is suitable for the intended application. The values of Hc (52 Oe) and Mr (3.7 emu/g) for the particles indicate a soft ferromagnetic nature. The coating of the particles with PB results in a significant reduction of their toxicity, as evidenced by a toxicological test on HEK293 cells. This colloid was tested in vitro as an MRI contrast agent as well as in healthy animal. The longitudinal relaxivity (r₁) of the PB-MnFe₂O₄-NH₂ sample was determined to be 0.01 (mg/mL)⁻¹ms^− 1. The transversal relaxivity was measured as well (r₂: 0.77 (mg/mL)⁻¹ms^− 1 and r₂*: 1.48 (mg/mL)⁻¹ms^− 1, which were in the same range as Feraheme and Endorem. Prussian blue-coated MnFe₂O₄ emerges as a promising T2-weighted contrast material, representing a novel combination of two well-known contrast-capable materials.

The need for stable and well-defined magnetic nanoparticles is constantly increasing in biomedical applications; however, their preparation remains challenging. We used two different solvothermal methods (12 h reflux and a 4 min microwave, MW) to synthesize amine-functionalized zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄-NH₂) superparamagnetic nanoparticles. The morphological features of the two ferrite samples were the same, but the average particle size was slightly larger in the case of MW activation: 47 ± 14 nm (Refl.) vs. 63 ± 20 nm (MW). Phase identification measurements confirmed the exclusive presence of zinc ferrite with virtually the same magnetic properties. The Refl. samples had a zeta potential of −23.8 ± 4.4 mV, in contrast to the +7.6 ± 6.8 mV measured for the MW sample. To overcome stability problems in the colloidal phase, the ferrite nanoparticles were embedded in polyvinylpyrrolidone and could be easily redispersed in water. Two PVP-coated zinc ferrite samples were administered (1 mg/mL ZnFe₂O₄) in X BalbC mice and were compared as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After determining the r1/r2 ratio, the samples were compared to other commercially available contrast agents. Consistent with other SPION nanoparticles, our sample exhibits a concentrated presence in the hepatic region of the animals, with comparable biodistribution and pharmacokinetics suspected. Moreover, a small dose of 1.3 mg/body weight kg was found to be sufficient for effective imaging. It should also be noted that no toxic side effects were observed, making ZnFe₂O₄-NH₂ advantageous for pharmaceutical formulations.

(1) Background. The main goal of this work was to develop a fluorescent dye-labelling technique for our previously described nanosized platform, citrate-coated Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles (PBNPs). In addition, characteristics and stability of the PB nanoparticles labelled with fluorescent dyes were determined. (2) Methods. We adsorbed the fluorescent dyes Eosin Y and Rhodamine B and methylene blue (MB) to PB-nanoparticle systems. The physicochemical properties of these fluorescent dye-labeled PBNPs (iron(II);iron(III);octadecacyanide) were determined using atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transformation infrared spectroscopy. A methylene-blue (MB) labelled, polyethylene-glycol stabilized PBNP platform was selected for further assessment of in vivo distribution and fluorescent imaging after intravenous administration in mice. (3) Results. The MB-labelled particles emitted a strong fluorescent signal at 662 nm. We found that the fluorescent light emission and steric stabilization made this PBNP-MB particle platform applicable for in vivo optical imaging. (4) Conclusion. We successfully produced a fluorescent and stable, Prussian blue-based nanosystem. The particles can be used as a platform for imaging contrast enhancement. In vivo stability and biodistribution studies revealed new aspects of the use of PBNPs.

Copper ferrite nanoparticles for use as MRI contrast agents were synthesized using two different methods. A novel microwave-assisted (MW) solvothermal method was developed and compared to a conventional 12-hour synthesis (Reflux) as an eco-friendlier approach. This innovative synthesis method successfully produced nanoparticles with enhanced properties compared to traditional ferrite materials. The nanoparticles’ morphological and magnetic properties were evaluated and tested in in-vivo MRI studies. The results revealed both similarities and differences between the amine-functionalized copper ferrite nanoparticles. FTIR, XRD, HRTEM, and VSM analyses indicated improved properties in the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ MW particles, while AFM confirmed successful polymer encapsulation of the nanoparticles. For the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ MW sample, 76.8 wt% copper ferrite and 23.2 wt% magnetite were detected, with crystallite sizes of 8 ± 2 nm and 13 ± 2 nm, respectively. In the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ Refl. sample, in addition to these two magnetic phases, larger copper particles (31.6 wt%) were also formed. DLS analysis demonstrated that the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ MW sample exhibited excellent colloidal stability, maintaining its size distribution in aqueous media for 3 hours without aggregation, unlike the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ Refl. sample, which showed slight aggregation. The CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ MW sample displayed superparamagnetic behavior (Ms: 15 emu/g, Mr: 0 emu/g, Hc: 0 Oe), while the CuFe₂O₄-NH₂ Refl. sample exhibited ferromagnetic characteristics (Ms: 40 emu/g, Mr: 1.35 emu/g, Hc: 30 Oe). Both samples produced comparable results during in vitro MRI measurements, showing similar T2* relaxation and signal characteristics. Further in vivo studies demonstrated that both samples induced significant hypointense changes. The study provides valuable insights into the synthesis, properties, and potential applications of these materials, emphasizing the importance of eco-friendly methods and the optimization of ferrite-based MRI contrast agents.

The aim of this study was to develop and characterize a Prussian Blue based biocompatible and chemically stable T1 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent with near infrared (NIR) optical contrast for preclinical application. The physical properties of the Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs) (iron (II); iron (III);octadecacyanide) were characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In vitro contrast enhancement properties of PBNPs were determined by MRI. In vivo T1-weighted contrast of the prepared PBNPs was investigated by MRI and optical imaging modality after intravenous administration into NMRI-Foxn1 nu/nu mice. The biodistribution studies showed the presence of PBNPs predominantly in the cardiovascular system. Briefly, in this paper we show a novel approach for the synthesis of PBNPs with enhanced iron content for T1 MRI contrast. This newly synthetized PBNP platform could lead to a new diagnostic agent, replacing the currently used Gadolinium based substances.