In Vitro Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Doxorubicin Loaded Folate Targeted Silica@ ZnO Nanorods

Th e clinical use of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) is limited by strong side effects and phenomena of cell resistance. Drug targeting by binding DOX to nanoparticles could overcome these limitations. We recently described a method to associate DOX to ZnO nanorods with average size of 21×200 nm. DOX is bound to the nanoparticle surface through a pre-formed folic acid-SiO2@ZnO conjugate. Characterization of the prepared samples was carried out using Fourier Transform infra-red spectra (FTIR) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. Th e purpose of this study is to explore the possible mechanisms of the in vitro cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded ZnO nanorods. Th e potential of anticancer drug (doxorubicin) loaded on the as prepared nanoparticles against the resistant leukemia cancer cells, K562, was evaluated using the MTT assay and its antitumor efficacy of the drug-loaded NRs was clearly enhanced, compared with free drugs.