Tumor-targeting Hederagenin-loaded Magnetic Nanoparticles For Anti-cancer Drug Delivery

In this study, the anti-tumor activity of hederagenin-loaded magnetic nanoparticles (HMP) was examined in cancer cells. Composite nanoparticles with an average size of 32.5 nm were prepared using a chemical co-precipitation technique. The characteristics of the particles were determined via X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that the magnetic nanoparticles were non-toxic against cancer. In particular, HMPs were cytotoxic at 73.12 % breast cancer (MCF-7), at 70.2 % against prostate cancer (DU145 cells), at 72.15 % against neuroblastoma cancer cells (U87), at 579.15 % in human brain cancer cells (SH-SY5Y), and at 74.5 % in human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) at 250 mg/mL. Our results demonstrated the biological applicability of HMPs as anticancer agents and as agents for enh