Enhanced skin cancer therapy using green synthesized titanium dioxide-polycaprolactone-chitosan nanostructure loaded...

Skin cancer remains a global health concern that demands innovative approaches for effective treatment. In this study, a green synthesis method involving Aloe vera extract is applied to produce titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles. Various synthesis parameters were systematically evaluated to select the optimal nanostructure based on particle size distribution. According to TEM and SEM images, TiO₂ nanoparticles revealed an average size of 30 ± 10 nm, and UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis confirmed the light sensitivity of the nanoparticles across the UV, visible, and near-infrared (200-1100 nm) ranges. The optimized nanoparticle was utilized at various concentration to create a nanocomposite structure through electrospinning process using a blend of polycaprolactone (PCL) and chitosan as base polymers. According to the SEM images of the scaffolds, all nanofibers had diameters below 100 nm. The results of the photothermal test showed that the scaffolds containing 10 and 15 % TiO₂ nanoparticles possess the highest temperature difference (maximum 6.5 °C) after irradiation with NIR laser for 10 min. After performing mechanical tests (tensile strength), degradability, and photothermal tests on these scaffolds, the optimal structure containing 10 % TiO₂ NPs was selected. Finally, with the incorporation of various amounts of curcumin, the biological performance of the nanofiberous structure revealed significant improvement. The curcumin release rate in the final scaffold was found to be 36.7 %. The findings of this study demonstrate the successful green synthesis of TiO₂ nanoparticles and their effective integration into curcumin-containing PCL-chitosan skin scaffolds. The proposed approach presents a promising pathway for developing advanced materials with potential applications in skin cancer therapy.