Preparation of As₄S₄/Fe₃O₄ nanosuspensions and in-vitro verification of their anticancer activity

Multifunctional nanoparticulate systems, especially those used in medicine, are currently of great interest. In this work, the in-vitro anticancer activity of As₄S₄/Fe₃O₄ composites dispersed in a water solution of Poloxamer 407 on breast MCF-7 and tongue SCC-25 cancer cells was verified. An increase in apoptotic cells as a consequence of higher caspase activities, a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and an accumulation of cells in the G2/M and subG0/G1 phases were detected after treatment with the As₄S₄/Fe₃O₄ nanosuspensions. The sterically stabilized nanosuspensions were characterized in relation to their particle size distribution, zeta potential and long-term stability properties. The interaction between the solid and liquid phases of the nanosuspensions was also studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.