Mechanical characterization of bio composite films as a novel drug carrier platform for sustained release of 5-fluorouracil for colon cancer: Methodological investigation

• Published in: Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials Vol. 115; p. 104266
• Main Authors: Tamilselvi, S., Kavitha, R., Usharani, M., Mumjitha, M., Mohanapriya, S., MohanaPriya, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2021
• Subjects: 5-Fluorouracil; Biocomposite films; Colonic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Carriers; Drug Liberation; Fluorouracil; Humans; Multiple hydrogen bonds drug delivery; Nucleobase; Pectin; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Biocomposite films; Multiple hydrogen bonds drug delivery; Pectin; Nucleobase; 5-Fluorouracil
• ISSN: 1751-6161; 1878-0180
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2020.104266

In this study, we employed Pectin (PC) as a matrix that is hybridized with three different nucleobase (NB) units (cytosine, thymine, uracil) to generate pectin–nucleobase(PC-NB) biocomposite films stabilized through bio-multiple hydrogen bonds (BMHBs) as drug carrier for anticancer 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). Prepared biocomposite films were characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimmetry Analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Mechanical and sorption properties were also evaluated. In vitro drug release performed in both acidic pH 1.2 (stomach pH) and alkaline pH 7.4 (intestinal pH) showed that incorporation of nucleobases into pectin significantly restricted release rate of 5-FU particularly under acidic condition (pH 1.2). Hemolysis assays demonstrated that PC-NB-5-FU biocomposite film drug carriers were hemocompatible. Confocal microscope analysis indicates facilitated cellular uptake of PC-NB-5-FU film in HT-29 colon cancer cell line, which in turn result in a higher potential of apoptosis. Confocal imaging of fluorescent live/dead cell indicators and MTT assay outcomes, both demonstrated significant decreases in cellular viability of PC-NB-5-FU biocomposite films. Collectively, our findings indicate that this PC-NB-5-FU biocomposite films can be conferred as a proficient formulation for targeted delivery of colon cancer drugs. [Display omitted] •Novel biopolymeric composite films are fabricated for promising multifunctional drug delivery application.•Surface characteristics of prepared films are fine-tuned by Nucleotide base.•Higher % of released 5-Fluorouracil observed up to 20% after 12 h.•Pectin-nucleobase bio composite films stabilized through bio-multiple hydrogen bonds.•Bio composite films can be conferred as a proficient formulation for targeted delivery of colon cancer drugs.