Quantum Dots Encapsulated with Curcumin Inhibit The Growth of Colon Cancer, Breast Cancer and Bacterial Cells

Abstract

Aim: To synthesize and examine the impact of free Eudragit^® RS 100 nanoparticles (LN01), Quantum dots curcumin-loaded Eudragit RS 100 nanoparticles (LN04), and un-encapsulated curcumin nanoparticles (LN06) on cancerous and bacterial cells. Materials & methods: The LN01, LN04, LN06 were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared, ζ potential, UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and their biological activities were evaluated. Results: LN04 profoundly inhibited the growth of colon (HCT-116) cancerous cells (10.64% cell viability) and breast cancer (MCF-7) cells (10.32% cell viability) with compared to LN01 and LN06. Normal cells (HEK-293) did not show any inhibition after treatments. In addition, LN04 show better inhibitory action on bacterial growth compared with LN01 and LN06. Conclusion: We suggest that LN04 selectively target cancerous and bacterial cells and therefore possess potential anticancer and antibacterial capabilities.

Keywords::

• antibacterial agent
• anticancer agent
• curcumin
• drug delivery
• quantum dots

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/nnm-2019-0429

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Institute for Research & Medical Consultations (IMRC) of the Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU) (Dammam, Saudi Arabia) for providing laboratory facilities to carry out the experiments. The authors are thankful to D Jr Bagon Dela Roca for his help in cell culture and MTT assays. The authors are also grateful to KM Alsamman, College of Applied Medical Science, IAU (Dammam, Saudi Arabia) for providing HCT-116, HEK-293 and MCF-7 cell lines.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.