Cytotoxicity profiling of choline chloride-based natural deep eutectic solvents

Area of Science:

• Green Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Toxicology

Background:

• Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) offer tunable properties for various applications.
• Choline chloride-based DES (NADES) are explored for their potential biological activities.
• Understanding the cytotoxicity of NADES is crucial for their safe development and application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively evaluate the cytotoxic effects of twelve choline chloride-based NADES.
• To investigate the influence of hydrogen bond donor (HBD) structure on NADES cytotoxicity.
• To determine the most effective NADES formulations against specific cancer cell lines.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of twelve NADES using microwave irradiation with choline chloride as HBA and various HBDs (sugars, alcohols, organic acids, urea).
• Addition of 20% water (w/w) to all synthesized NADES systems.
• Cytotoxicity assessment of NADES against HT-29, Caco-2, MCF-7, and MRC-5 cell lines.

Main Results:

• Cytotoxic effects were significantly influenced by the chemical structure of the HBD.
• Acidic NADES, utilizing organic acids as HBDs, exhibited the highest cytotoxicity across all tested cell lines.
• The citric acid-based NADES showed the most potent cytotoxic effect, with an EC50 value of 3.91 mg/mL against the HT-29 cell line.

Conclusions:

• The HBD's chemical nature is a key determinant of NADES cytotoxicity.
• Acidic NADES possess significant cytotoxic potential, particularly against the HT-29 cell line.
• NADES concentration and chemical composition are critical factors influencing their biological impact.