Novel targeted delivery of quercetin for human hepatocellular carcinoma using starch/polyvinyl alcohol nanocarriers based hydrogel containing Fe2O3 nanoparticles.

The common adverse effects of chemotherapy are the reason for the use of effective, natural drugs and targeted administration to specific areas. On the one hand, Quercetin (QC) has positive effects as a natural anticancer agent. On the other hand, Fe2O3, as nanoparticles (NP) with clinical properties and high porosity, can be a suitable carrier for drug loading and controlled release. In this study, QC was encapsulated in a synthesized Fe2O3/Starch/Polyvinyl alcohol nanocarrier (Fe2O3/S/PVA NC). Characterization of the NC was done by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), zeta potential and Dynamic light scattering (DLS). The percentage of drug loading (DLE) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) of QC in the NC containing Fe2O3 nanoparticles was 47 % and 86.50 %, respectively, while it was 36 % and 73 % in the NC without Fe2O3. QC profile release in acidic and natural mediums showed controlled release and pH dependency of the NC. Viability of L929 and HepG2 treated cells with the Fe2O3/S/PVA/QC was demonstrated by MTT staining which was in agreement with flow cytometry. The results show that Fe2O3/S/PVA is a suitable NC for the targeted delivery of QC as a drug against HepG2 cancer cells.

Fabrication of ZIF-71/Fe3O4/polythionine nanoarray-functionalized carbon cotton cloth for simultaneous extraction and quantitation of febuxostat and diclofenac.

A sustainable hybrid material based on carbonized cotton cloth/zeolite imidazolate framework-71/Fe3O4/polythionine (CC/ZIF-71/Fe3O4/PTh) was synthesized and applied in ultrasound-assisted dispersive magnetic solid-phase extraction (USA-DMSPE) followed with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV) for simultaneous quantitation of diclofenac (DIC) and febuxostat (FEB) in human plasma. The surface of CC was modified with nanoarrays of zeolite imidazolate framework-71/Fe3O4/Polythionine. At first, an in situ synthesis of ZIF-71 in the presence of CC was carried out, and followed with magnetization process and oxidative polymerization of thionine. The nano-modifier agents improved the merits of the sorbent involving stability, porosity, mast transfer, π-π interactions and selectivity of CC. Characterizations of the hybrid sorbent were examined with different instrumental techniques. The limits of detection (LODs, S/N = 3) were recognized 2.1 ng mL-1 for DIC and 3.7 ng mL-1 for FEB. Acceptable linearity (0.992 ≤ r 2 ≤0.996) and relatively broad dynamic ranges of 10.0-1800.0 ng mL-1 and 15.0-2500.0 ng mL-1 were achieved for DIC and FEB, respectively. Reasonable intra-assay (≤7.2%, n = 9) and inter-assay (≤7.5%, n = 9) precisions as well as appropriate accuracies (≤8.0%) were provided illustrating applicability of the current approach for analytical purposes. Eventually, CC/ZIF-71/Fe3O4/PTh was employed as four-part sorbent for the assessment of DIC and FEB in human plasma at trace levels and subsequently main pharmacokinetic data such as T 1/2, T max, C max, and AUC0-24 of these drugs were comprehensively investigated.