In vitro Anti-Cancer Effect of Polymeric Nanoparticles Encapsulating Caralluma tuberculata in Cancer Cells

Rapidly evolving drug delivery systems employ therapeutic agents (liposomes, polymers, and nanospheres) to achieve optimum therapeutic and targeted effects with declined side effects to cure chronic diseases like cancer. Nano-formulation of a natural product i.e., Caralluma tuberculata (Ct) extract, has been used as an effective combinational therapy with enhanced biocompatibility owing to its strong anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-tumor potential. Ct extract was prepared using three solvents (EtOH, MeOH, and CHCl3) amongst which methanolic Ct extract exhibited the highest percentage yield (9.6%). Qualitative phytochemical screening, thin layer chromatography (TLC), and antioxidant assays (DPPH assay and H2O2 assay) were performed. The percentage free radical scavenging values were found to be 86.25% (IC50=140.1μg/ml) and 88% (IC50=14.22μg/ml) at 1000 μg/ml concentration for both assays respectively. Methanolic Ct extract was then encapsulated in chitosan-tripolyphosphate (CS-TPP) nanoparticles using ionic gelation method with an encapsulation efficiency of 87%. Characterization showed uniform size distribution of 140nm particle size using DLS and encapsulation of Ct extract inside CS-TPP nanoparticles was confirmed by UV spectrophotometry and FTIR. Ct loaded CS-TPP nanoparticles showed less than or equal to 5% hemolytic activity at concentrations of 15.62μg/ml, 31.25μg/ml, 62.5μg/ml, and 125μg/ml, suggesting its safer usage at lower concentration. Rhodamine conjugated Ct loaded CS-TPP nanoparticles showed significant uptake efficiency in breast cancer cells compared to control. Ct extract and the nanoformulation were treated against triple negative breast cancer cell lines (Cal-51) for the evaluation of cytotoxicity exhibiting 30-40% (IC50=122.3μg/ml) and up to 75% (IC50=14.39μg/ml) cytotoxicity respectively. The study paves way for the encapsulation of medicinal plants in polymeric nanoparticles to achieve safer and highly efficient drug delivery systems

Effect of ZnO nanoparticles on Brassica nigra seedlings and stem explants: growth dynamics and antioxidative response

Nanoparticles (NPs) have diverse properties in comparison to respective chemicals due to structure, surface area ratio, morphology, and reactivity. Toxicological effects of metallic NPs to organisms including plants have been reported. However, to the authors’ knowledge there is no report on the effect of NPs on in vitro culture of plant explants. In this study, ZnO NPs at 500-1500 mg/L badly affected Brassica nigra seed germination and seedling growth and raised antioxidative activities and antioxidants concentrations. On the other hand, culturing the stem explants of B. nigra on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium in presence of low concentration of ZnO NPs (1-20 mg/L) produced white thin roots with thick root hairs. At 10 mg/L ZnO NPs shoots emergence was also observed. The developed calli/roots showed 79% DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging activity at 10 mg/L. While total antioxidant and reducing power potential were also significantly different in presence of ZnO NPs. Non enzymatic antioxidative molecules, phenolics (up to 0.15 µg GAE/mg FW) and flavonoids (up to 0.22 µg QE/mg FW), also raised and found NPs concentration dependent. We state that ZnO NPs may induce roots from explants cultured on appropriate medium and can be cultured for production of valuable secondary metabolites

Synthesis, characterization and biological activities of monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles using Mirabilis jalapa leaf extract

Monometallic ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) and bimetallic ZnO/Ag NPs were synthesized using leaves extract of Mirabilis jalapa. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of NPs with size range from 19.3 to 67.4 nm for bimetallic, and 12.9 and 32.8 nm for monometallic NPs. SEM images reveal varying shapes of the monometallic (needle like and spherical for ZnO and Ag, respectively) and bimetallic (plates, sheets, and spherical) NPs depending upon concentration of salts used. Biological characterization reveals that both mono and bi metallic nanoparticles demonstrate free radical scavenging, total antioxidant, and reducing power potentials. Phenolic and flavonoid like properties of NPs were also observed might be due to presence of different functional groups on the particles surface. Bimetallic NPs displayed astonishing antibacterial (up to 25 mm zone of inhibition) and antileishmanial properties. The results suggest that bimetallic ZnO/Ag nanoparticles hold greater potential then monometallic against bacteria and Leishmania. Other biomedical applications also varied depending upon concentration of precursors. Furthermore, ratio of salt concentrations used for synthesis of bimetallic NPs affect morphological and biochemical characteristics of NPs. Keywords: M. jalapa monometallic, Bimetallic, Biological properties, Nanoparticle

Comparative evaluation of chemically and green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles: their in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and anticancer potential towards HepG2 cell line

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