QUERCETIN-MODIFIED Fe3O4 NANOPARTICLE-BASED MEDICAL IMAGING MODALITY FOR THE MONITORING OF THERAPEUTIC-DRUG DELIVERY

The combination of imaging and therapeutic agents with drug nanocarriers has received great attention due to the number of outstanding applications in nanobiology and nanomedicine. In this respect, the traditional and biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles, such as Fe3O4, play a pivotal role, having a versatile potential in imaging diagnostics, treatments and targeting in drug-delivery systems. In this work, we report on Fe3O4 nanoparticles functionalized with quercetin molecules and show that the conjugation between Fe3O4 nanoparticles and quercetin significantly modifies the fluorescent properties of the nanocomposite. The obtained results offer a reliable tool for image-assisted drug-delivery systems, targeting and penetrating such a delicate area of the human body as a blood-brain barrier.