Hydrodynamic modeling of ferrofluid flow in magnetic targeting drug delivery

Abstract

Among the proposed techniques for delivering drugs to specific locations within human body, magnetic drug targeting prevails due to its non-invasive character and its high targeting efficiency. Magnetic targeting drug delivery is a method of carrying drug-loaded magnetic nanoparticles to a target tissue target under the applied magnetic field. This method increases the drug concentration in the target while reducing the adverse side-effects. Although there have been some theoretical analyses for magnetic drug targeting, very few researchers have addressed the hydrodynamic models of magnetic fluids in the blood vessel. A mathematical model is presented to describe the hydrodynamics of ferrofluids as drug carriers flowing in a blood vessel under the applied magnetic field. In this model, magnetic force and asymmetrical force are added, and an angular momentum equation of magnetic nanoparticles in the applied magnetic field is modeled. Engineering approximations are achieved by retaining the physiclaly most significant items in the model due to the mathematical complexity of the motion equations. Numerical simulations are performed to obtain better insight into the theoretical model with computational fluid dynamics. Simulation results demonstrate the important parameters leading to adequate drug delivery to the target site depending on the magnetic field intensity, which coincident with those of animal experiments. Results of the analysis provide important information and suggest strategies for improving delivery in clinical application.