Gellan gum/chitosan-based bilayer scaffold for the targeted delivery of curcumin and green tea, designed to enhance breast cancer treatment paradigms.

Abstract

The surge in breast cancer cases in breast cancer cases emphasizes the need for advanced materials that can provide effective therapeutic results while reducing side effects. In light of this pressing need, we generated a bilayer green formulation, consisting of a porous gellan gum sponge coated with chitosan nanofibers, enhanced with green tea and curcumin natural additives to boost anti-cancer efficacy. Based on the results, incorporating green tea and curcumin led to a dramatic reduction in MCF-7 cancer cell viability, plummeting from 92.73 ± 1.18 % to an impressive 23.54 ± 2.8 %. Also, the antibacterial inhibition zones achieved against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli increased significantly, measuring 6.1 ± 0.7 mm and 5.9 ± 0.7 mm, respectively. In addition, the filler integration strengthened the antioxidant properties, showcasing appropriate radical scavenging activity spanning from 62.83 ± 0.21 to 95.62 ± 0.19 %, depending the sample concentration. The release profile demonstrated a sophisticated dual-release capability, facilitating a swift short-term release for green tea alongside a sustained release for curcumin. These findings highlight the potential of the bilayer green composition as a therapeutic approach for both the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, offering substantial promise in the fight against this formidable disease.