Anticancer potentials of metformin loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion on MCF-7, HepG2 and HCT-116 cell lines

Figures & data

Figure 1. (A) Particle size and (B) Zeta potential of metformin-loaded nanoemulsion.

Table 1. Physicochemical characteristics of nanoemulsion formulations.

Nanoemulsion formulations	Size (nm)	PDI	ZP (mV)
Blank coconut oil Nanoemulsion	240.3 ± 4.2	0.475	−14.3 ± 4.2
Metformin-loaded coconut oil Nanoemulsion	310 ± 23.1*	0.611	−18.9 ± 3.2

Data represents mean ± SD of three independent experiment. *p < 0.05.

Figure 2. The cumulative metformin release metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion and non-formulated metformin permeated through the membrane for 6 h. Each data point represents the mean ± SD (n = 3).

Table 2. Stability profile of formulated nanoemulsion after three months.

Nanoemulsion formulation	Size (nm)	ZP (mV)	Drug content (%)
Fresh metformin loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion (Day 0)	241.3 ± 2.4	−18.6 ± 3.7	95.73 ± 1.8
Stored metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion (Day 90)	273.12 ± 2.8	−18.1 ± 4.2	93.86 ± 2.6

Each data point represents the mean ± SD (n = 3).

Figure 3. Cell viability of MCF-7 following treatment with various concentrations (0–100 μg/mL) of either metformin, coconut oil nanoemulsion, or metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion for 72 h. data represent mean ± SD.

Figure 4. Cell viability of HePG-2 following treatment with various concentrations (0–100 μg/mL) of either metformin, coconut oil nanoemulsion, or metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion for 72 h. data represent mean ± SD.

Figure 5. Cell viability of HCT116, following treatment with various concentrations (0–100 μg/mL) of either metformin, coconut oil nanoemulsion, or metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion for 72 h. data represent mean ± SD.

Table 3. The IC₅₀ of different formulations against different human Solid tumour cells.

Formula	IC50 (µg/mL)
	MCF-7	HePG2	HCT-116
Metformin	19.61 ± 1.3	18.17 ± 1.3	6.26 ± 2.1
Blank coconut oil Nanoemulsion	44.72 ± 4.3	24.84 ± 3.9	35.5 ± 4.2
Metformin-loaded coconut oil Nanoemulsion	8.3 ± 0.1	12 ± 1.5	2.685 ± 0.3

Data represent mean ± SD of three independent experiments.

Figure 6. Effect of metformin-loaded coconut oil nanoemulsion on cell cycle distributions of MCF-7, HepG2, and HCT 116 cells. Cell cycle distribution was determined using flow cytometry analysis after exposure to treatment for 48 h. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.01.

Figure 7. Cellular apoptosis of MCF-7, HePG2, and HCT 116 treated with metformin-loaded nanoemulsion for 48h. Dot plots depict apoptotic cell distribution following annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Column charts represent a quantitative evaluation of apoptotic cell percentage post-Metformin-loaded nanoemulsion treatment. Data are presented as the mean ± SD.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.