Dual Anticancer and Antimicrobial Activity of A Novel Dual-Drug Nanosystem for Co-Delivery of Curcumin and Cyclotides Derived from Viola Dalatensis Gagnep

The article presents a robust technique for nanoparticle manufacturing that employs hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, utilizing curcumin (Cur) and cyclotides (Cyc) as pharmacological models. The CS/HA/P407@Cyc@Cur nanosystem, confirmed using FTIR, UV-Vis, and DLS, exhibited consistent physicochemical characteristics: diameter (182.6 ± 10.7 nm), PDI (0.381 ± 0.07), and zeta potential (-30 mV), hence ensuring colloidal stability. High loading efficiency (LE: 90.42–93.09%) and encapsulation capacity (LC: 4.17–4.73%) validated the effective co-loading of Cur and Cyc. The nanosystem demonstrated pH-responsive drug release in acidic tumor microenvironments and remarkable stability, maintaining 82.87% Cur in DMEM. Antibacterial experiments demonstrated significant action against gram-positive bacteria and moderate effectiveness against gram-negative pathogens. Hemocompatibility was exceptional, with hemolysis below 2% across all concentrations. Both free and nanoparticle-encapsulated @Cyc@Cur significantly inhibited MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation at low doses, underscoring their therapeutic potential. The technology’s adaptability facilitates future integration for synergistic dual-drug delivery, especially with antibiotics and anticancer drugs, presenting exciting opportunities for the treatment of infections, cancers, and hematological disorders through intravenous injection.

Graphical Abstract