Efficient in vitro oxaliplatin delivery with functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube for enhanced colon cancer treatment

Abstract

Abstract Background Site-specific transport of medicinal products to malignant cells and tissues is an intriguing area since it has an ability to safeguard healthy cells. Selective upregulation of folate receptors on colon cancer cells is usual. Consequently, folate receptors have become one of extensively studied target moieties for targeting the delivery of chemotherapeutics. Hence, the study aimed to anchor folic acid, chitosan and oxaliplatin to the functionalized nanotube (FA-CHI-FSWCNT-OXA) for targeting folate receptors on colon cancer cells. The purification process of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) involved the use of an ultrasonic-assisted acid digestion method. The developed complex was evaluated using FTIR, DSC, SEM, XRD and in vitro dissolution studies. SRB and MTT assays were used to assess in vitro cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin and FA-CHI-FSWCNT-OXA) against HT29 and COLO320DM cell lines. Further, progression of apoptosis in cells was investigated using flow cytometry. Results The FTIR results corroborated drug attachment over carbon nanotube (CNT), whereas the TEM results validated the nanosizing (1–300 nm) of the developed system. Drug entrapment in CNT was found to be 93.43 ± 1.65%, and in vitro drug release was found to be 94.73 ± 0.90% after 24 h. The complex reduced viability of 92.35 ± 0.942% cells than oxaliplatin’s 66.58 ± 0.38% inhibition, revealed by MTT assay. In the SRB assay, the developed system showed 91.22 ± 0.90% inhibition, whereas oxaliplatin showed 76.69 ± 0.52% inhibition against HT29 cells. Conclusions Conclusively, the developed system exhibited better cytotoxicity effects as compared with plain oxaliplatin. Our findings are suggestive of the potential development of CNT-anchored antineoplastic agents for target-specific delivery.