ABSTRACT
This study revealed the potential of magnesium whitlockite [WH: Ca18Mg2(HPO4)2(PO4)12] nanoparticles (WH NPs) for anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapies. Although magnesium whitlockite possesses promising biological properties, its effects on inflammation and cancer remain unexplored. In this study, we address this gap by synthesizing WH NPs and demonstrating their multifaceted functionalities. Through detailed characterization, we revealed the synthesis pathway involving brushite as a precursor, with magnesium ions incorporated during hydrothermal treatment. WH NPs exhibited anti-inflammatory properties by significantly reducing the production of key inflammatory markers (NO, TNF-α, and IL-6). Furthermore, they display promising anti-cancer activity by inhibiting the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Our findings not only establish a deeper understanding of WH NP synthesis but also highlight their potential for the development of innovative cancer and inflammatory treatments.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents , Antineoplastic Agents , Cell Proliferation , Magnesium , Nanoparticles , Humans , Magnesium/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/chemical synthesis , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemical synthesis , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Cell Line, Tumor , Animals , Particle Size , Interleukin-6/metabolism , Mice , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism , Cell Survival/drug effects , Surface Properties , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Nitric Oxide/biosynthesis , Calcium PhosphatesABSTRACT
The wide use of chitosan microspheres in pharmaceutical applications, mainly in the controlled release of drugs and as a bactericidal agent, has been widely reported in the literature. However, these important biomaterial applications with multifunctionality is still scarce. In this study, epichlorohydrin-crosslinked chitosan microspheres were prepared and evaluated for Ag+ adsorption and formation of silver nanoparticles. The hybrid material obtained was used to antibacterial activity and controlled drug release. The optimal pH for adsorption of Ag+ ions in aqueous medium was pH 5-7; the best fit was the Langmuir model; the optimal time for maximum adsorption was 10 h. The highest release of the drug occured at neutral pH of the intestinal fluids and remained constant for 6 h. Silver ion microspheres demonstrated activity against E. coli and S. aureus. The concentration of ibuprofen incorporated in the chitosan microspheres was 7.9 × 10-3 mol L-1 and in the microspheres with AgNPs the concentration was 1.8 × 10-2 mol L-1. The microspheres with AgNPs released more drug (77%) than the material without AgNPs.
