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Green Synthesis of Chitosan-Coated Selenium Nanoparticles for Paclitaxel Delivery
Mouhaned Y Al-Darwesh1,2, Maroua Manai3, Hammouda Chebbi1,4
1Laboratory of Materials, Crystal Chemistry and Applied Thermodynamics, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, El Manar II, Tunis 2092, Tunisia.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 27, 2025
Summary
Selenium nanoparticles coated with chitosan and loaded with Paclitaxel demonstrated enhanced anticancer efficacy against breast cancer cells. These novel nanoparticles exhibit sustained drug release and good biocompatibility, offering a promising platform for targeted cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Development of novel drug delivery platforms is crucial for improving cancer treatment efficacy.
- Selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs) offer unique properties for biomedical applications.
- Chitosan (Ch) coating can enhance nanoparticle stability and drug loading.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize chitosan-coated selenium nanoparticles loaded with Paclitaxel (PTX).
- To evaluate the in vitro drug release kinetics and antiproliferative activity of Se@Ch-PTX NPs against breast cancer cells.
- To assess the biocompatibility and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of the developed nanoparticles.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of Se NPs using *Foeniculum vulgare* seed extract, followed by chitosan coating and Paclitaxel loading.
- Characterization using TGA, UV-vis, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, and Zeta potential measurements.
- In vitro drug release studies at different pH values, hemolytic activity assays, and antiproliferative assays against MDA-MB-231 cells.
Main Results:
- Spherical Se@Ch-PTX NPs (10-40 nm) with positive surface charge (+57 mV) and good thermal stability were synthesized.
- Sustained and pH-responsive PTX release observed, with ~80% release at pH 3.5 within 22 h.
- Se@Ch-PTX NPs exhibited significantly higher antiproliferative activity (IC50 = 12.3 µg/mL) against MDA-MB-231 cells compared to PTX alone, along with enhanced ROS scavenging.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan-coated selenium nanoparticles represent a promising drug delivery system for Paclitaxel.
- The developed Se@Ch-PTX NPs show enhanced efficacy and biocompatibility for breast cancer treatment.
- This platform offers potential for targeted and sustained delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.
