Comparison of the efficacy of Alginate nanoparticles containing Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and its major ingredient (citral) on melanoma cells

Aim and Background: Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can be fatal if not treated early. Common treatments for melanoma, such as chemotherapy and radiation, have limited effectiveness and can cause serious side effects. Therefore, there is a need for alternative treatments with more effectiveness and less toxicity. Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and its major component, citral, have been shown to have anti-cancer properties and could be potential candidates for encapsulation in nanoparticles. In addition, alginate nanoparticles with biocompatibility and biodegradability is a promising candidate for the efficacy improvement of herbal substances. Methods: In this study, alginate nanoparticles containing C. citratus and citral were prepared using ionic gelation. Afterward, their potential for treating melanoma (A-375) cell line was investigated. Results and discussion: The resulting C. citratus nanoparticle had a size of 195 nm, and the citral-containing nanoparticle had a size of 222 nm. The results of the MTT test showed that the efficacy of nanoformulations was significantly more potent than non-formulated states. IC50 values of non-formulated C. citratus and citral and alginate nanoparticles containing C. citratus and citral on the A-375 were obtained as 637, 513, 159, and 166 µg/mL. Conclusion: The prepared formulations can be considered green anti-cancer agents in complementary medicine and treatment.