This study introduces an innovative magnetic-based multifunctional anti-cancer drug carrier aiming to enhance the efficacy of curcumin in cancer therapy. The research investigates the potential of Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs) as a curcumin drug delivery system for inhibiting in vivo cancer growth. GQDs with a particle diameter below 10 nm were synthesized via hydrothermal and Hummers methods, exhibiting homogeneity and crystalline structure according to AFM and XRD analyses. FTIR analysis confirmed functionalization success, revealing the formation of bonds between GQDs and curcumin. The optical properties of GQDs were assessed using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and spectrofluorometer, resulting in vigorous fluorescence with a quantum yield of 1.32%. Subsequently, loading curcumin onto GQDs (CQDs/cur) resulted in an efficient system for delivering the anti-cancer drug, demonstrating significant in vivo efficacy. It was indicated by reduced tumor diameter and increased body weight in mice. Furthermore, the release kinetics of curcumin from GQDs were analyzed using the Peppas-Sahlin equation under varying pH conditions (4, 7, and 9), revealing the highest release rate in acidic conditions. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of GQDs as highly efficient carriers for targeted curcumin delivery, showcasing promising prospects in cancer treatment.
The design of multimodal cancer therapy was focused on reaching an efficient process and minimizing harmful effects on patients. In the present study, the Au-MnO2 nanostructures have been successfully constructed and produced as novel multipurpose photosensitive agents simultaneously for photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The prepared AuNPs were conjugated with MnO2 NPs by its participation in the thermal decomposition process of KMnO4 confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (FT-IR). The 16.5 nm Au-MnO2 nanostructure exhibited an absorbance at 438 nm, which is beneficial for application in light induction therapy due to the NIR band, as well as its properties of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with the 808 nm laser light for PDT. The photothermal transduction efficiency was calculated and compared with that of the non-irradiated nanostructure, in which it was found that the 808 nm laser induced a high efficiency of 83%, 41.5%, and 37.5% for PDT, PTT, and CDT, respectively. The results of DPBF and TMB assays showed that the efficiency of PDT and PTT was higher than that of CDT. The nanostructure also confirmed the time-dependent peroxidase properties at different H2O2, TMB, and H2TMB concentrations, promising good potency in applying nanomedicine in clinical cancer therapy.