Amutha Santhanam

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have shown great potential for drug delivery systems due to their small size and properties. Surface functionalization of CQDs directly affects the drug conjugation and release behaviour. In this study, the peanut shell carbon quantum dots (PS-CQDs) were synthesised through the hydrothermal method. The as-synthesised PS-CQDs had blue fluorescence and functional groups of hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amine. These surface group shows that the PS-CQDs have great water solubility. The free radical scavenging efficacy was also analysed and found to be 84.7%. With an average size of 2.1 ± 0.02 nm, the PS-CQDs were functionalized with a hydrazine group and then conjugated with doxorubicin. The doxorubicin conjugated sample DOX-PS-CQDs showed pH-sensitive release of the drug. The cumulative release percentage was 55.4% at pH 7.4 and 81.4% at pH 6.5, and the release profile exhibited sustained release within 24 h. The different pH enables the PS-CQDs based nanocarrier to release the drug at tumour sites efficiently. Further, in-vitro anticancer activity was studied using these PS-CQDs based nanocarriers against the MDA MB231 cell line, and the live/dead cell screening was carried out by AO/EB staining. Thus, the doxorubicin conjugated with PS-CQDs has exhibited promising properties as a drug carrier for cancer therapy.

The development of advanced high-capacity nanoparticle-based drug loading, precise targeting, low toxicity, and excellent biocompatibility is critical for improving cancer therapeutics. Withaferin A, a natural steroidal lactone derived from Physalis minima, exhibits potential biological activity and holds promise as a therapeutic agent. In this study, a novel nanoconjugate (NC) was developed using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) functionalized with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Withaferin A drug, and folic acid for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment. The AuNPs–PVP–Withaferin A–FA nanoconjugate was synthesized through a layer-by-layer assembly process and was confirmed using UV–visible and FTIR spectroscopy. The hydrodynamic radius, surface charge, and morphology of the NC were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential analysis, and electron microscopy, respectively. The nanoformulation demonstrated a pH-responsive drug release, with 92% of Withaferin A released at pH 5, mimicking the tumor microenvironment. In vitro cytotoxicity studies conducted on MCF-7 cells using MTT assays, dual dye staining, and protein expression analysis revealed that the nanoconjugate effectively induced apoptosis in cancer cells. These outcomes emphasize the prospect AuNPs–PVP–Withaferin A–FA nanoconjugate as a targeted and efficient Withaferin A delivery system for cancer therapy, leveraging the inherent anticancer properties of Withaferin A.

Bacterial infections and delayed healing present significant impediments in wound care, making the development of hydrogels with both antibacterial and healing properties a promising solution for wound dressing. Nevertheless, creating such hydrogel dressings simply and efficiently remains a challenging endeavor. In this work, eco‐friendly cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) nanoparticles using orange peel (Citrus sinensis) extract were synthesized. The synthesized Cu₂O nanoparticles demonstrated excellent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties compared to chemically synthesized Cu₂O nanoparticles. Consequently, these nanoparticles were incorporated into a dual polymer hydrogel film via solution casting. As Cu₂O nanoparticles were expected to increase mechanical and thermal stability, hydrogel films with different weight percentages of Cu₂O nanoparticles were examined. The optimized hydrogel film demonstrated good swelling behavior, hemocompatibility, and potent antibacterial activity against gram‐positive and gram‐negative bacteria. Therefore, this study offers a facile and effective method for fabricating highly effective hydrogel dressings for wound healing.