Fabrication of facile polymeric nanocomposites based on chitosan-gr-P2-aminothiophenol for biomedical applications

Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells due to the uncontrolled division of the cells and it is the second leading cause of death globally. Immune system malfunction, inflammatory diseases, microbial infection, and oxidative damage are other causes for death. This prompted us to search for non-traditional materials that can be used as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Chitosan as a non-toxic, biodegradable, biopolymer with powerful biological activity was grafted with acidified 2-aminothiophenol (2-ATH) using aqueous chemical oxidative copolymerization in presence of ammonium persulphate (APS) as an oxidant at room temperature. The prepared polymeric samples were assembled on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The prepared polymeric structure nano-composites were verified by infrared, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The prepared polymeric samples and their composites with AgNPs were screened for their biological activities as anti-cancer properties, anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. The obtained data reveal that chitosan-gr-poly (2-aminothiophenol) (chitosan-gr-p2-ATH) has the most potent anti-oxidant and anti-cancer effects against HepG2 while the composites of p2-ATH with AgNPs and chitosan-gr-p2-ATH with AgNPs have the most potent anti-inflammatory properties.