Synthesis and characterization of curcumin loaded targeted carbon nanotubes for melanoma cancer therapy after laser radiation

Aim and Background: In this study, we aimed to prepare and evaluate of targeted carbon nanotubes coated with curcumin-containing polycitric acid and investigate the in vitro cytotoxicity of the compound. Methods: The hydrophilic structure of MWCNTs is first fabricated with the synthesis of polycitric acid (PCA) on the surface of these nanoparticles. Then, the folic acid (FA) was conjugated to the MWCNT-PCA. This hydrophilic nanocomplex is used as a carrier for the lipophilic structure of curcumin (Cur). TGA, TEM, and UV–visible spectrophotometry techniques are applied for characterization. The mechanism of cancerous cell death, loaded on the surface of CNT-PCA-FA, is studied on the tumor cells using the MTT test. Results and discussion: The nanocomposites and free Cur had a toxic impact on cancerous melanoma cells. Still, they had no significant effect on normal cells, which was related to the strong selectivity of designed compounds in cancerous compared to non-cancerous cell lines. MWCNT-PCA-FA/Cur was shown to have more cytotoxicity than free Cur. It was discovered that MWCNT-FA-PCA/Cur effectively caused programmed cell death, which was supported by the rise in the proportion of cells in the cell cycle s S phase. Conclusion: This multifunctional therapeutic nanoplatform could be a useful tool for creating combination cancer treatments that benefit from a variety of widely used therapeutic methods