Background: Although DC Bead has been useful in treatment of multiple and large hepatocellular carcinoma, loading
time of doxorubicin into the DC Bead takes a long time of 30-120 minutes. Epirubicin is also used as an antitumor agent
together with DC Bead, but its loading efficiency was not sufficiently elucidated. Methods: To shorten loading time of
epirubicin into DC Bead (100-300µm, 300-500µm, 500-700µm), we examined the following three methods after mixing
the drug: (a) let stand in room temperature, (b) agitated for 30 seconds with Vortex mixer, and (c) sonicated for 30
seconds with ultrasonic cleaner. After loading of epirubicin by each method, supernatant concentration for epirubicin was
assayed at 5, 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes. Results: Epirubicin loading rates for small bead (100-300µm) at 5 minutes
were 82.9 % in group a, 93.8% in group b, and 79.9 % in group c. Similarly, medium bead (300-500µm), 40.1% in group
a, 65.7% in group b and 45.5% in group c, respectively. In large-sized bead (500-700µm), loaded rates of epirubicin were
38.8% in group a, 59.0% in group b and 48.0% in group c. Agitation of mixture of epirubicin and DC Bead with Vortex
mixer significantly shortened the loading time, but sonication did not affect the time required. Microscopic examination
did not lead to any morphological change of microspheres in all the methods. Conclusions: Short time of agitation with
Vortex mixer reduced the necessary time for loading of epirubicin in every standard of DC Bead.