QUERCETIN-LOADED GRAPHENE OXIDE NANOPARTICLES: SYNTHESIS, OPTIMIZATION, AND EVALUATION FOR BREAST CANCER TREATMENT

TANDALE PRASHANT; SUTTEE ASHISH; PANZADE PRABHAKAR; GADADE DIPAK

doi:10.22159/ijap.2025v17i3.53794

Authors

TANDALE PRASHANT School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara. Punjab-144411, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1402-8552
SUTTEE ASHISH School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara. Punjab-144411, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3539-281X
PANZADE PRABHAKAR Srinath College of Pharmacy, Chh. Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra-431133, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1247-9197
GADADE DIPAK Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, Dwarka Campus, Sector 9, New Delhi-110077, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3837-2486

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2025v17i3.53794

Keywords:

Graphene oxide, Nanocomposites, Quercetin, Nanomedicine, Anticancer, Response surface methodology, Drug delivery systems

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to develop graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with Quercetin (QUE) for oncological applications, enhancing therapeutic efficacy while minimizing adverse effects.

Methods: QUE-GO NPs were synthesized using Tween 80 and probe sonication, with optimization achieved through a Box-Behnken Design (BBD) that considered parameters including GO weight, surfactant volume, and sonication time.

Results: The optimized batch 14 achieved an Entrapment Efficiency (EE) of 92.5±0.7%, with a particle size of 86.9±0.46 nm and a Polydispersity Index (PDI) of 0.158±0.001, indicating good stability. Drug release studies showed 88.60±2.3% release over 8 h (n = 3). Cytotoxicity assays in MCF-7 breast cancer and HEK293 noncancerous cells revealed enhanced cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells (IC₅₀: 126.20 µg/ml) (p<0.001) compared to pure QUE's (MW: 302.24 g/mol) IC₅₀ of 175.89 µg/ml (p<0.05). The safety profile was observed for HEK 293 cells (IC₅₀: 1009.40 µg/ml).

Conclusion: These findings support QUE-GO NPs as a promising nanocarrier for targeted cancer therapy. A favourable safety profile was observed.

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