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Dual-functional acetogenin nanofibers: bridging biomedical activity with brain-inspired neuromorphic devices
Arati S Kulkarni1, Prafull B Dandge2, Mansi M Jadhav1
1Department of Biochemistry, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, 416004, India.
Scientific Reports
|July 10, 2026
Summary
This study isolated Bullatacin acetogenin and created acetogenin-based nanofibers (AC NFs). These nanofibers show anticancer and antioxidant potential, and form bio-inspired electronic devices mimicking synaptic functions.
Area of Science:
- Natural Product Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neuro-inspired Electronics
Background:
- Annonaceous acetogenins, particularly from Annona muricata, are potent polyketides with significant therapeutic potential.
- Bullatacin, a specific acetogenin, has been identified as a promising compound for further investigation.
- Developing novel materials from natural products can bridge therapeutic applications with advanced technologies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and structurally elucidate Bullatacin acetogenin from Annona muricata.
- To synthesize and characterize acetogenin-based nanofibers (AC NFs) for potential biomedical and electronic applications.
- To evaluate the anticancer, antioxidant, and biocompatibility properties of AC NFs, and their performance in resistive switching devices.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of Bullatacin acetogenin using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
- Structural elucidation via tandem mass spectrometry.
- Synthesis of AC NFs through electrospinning.
- In vitro evaluation of anticancer activity (A549 cells), biocompatibility (NL-20 cells), and antioxidant potential.
- Fabrication and characterization of a resistive switching device (Ag/AC NFs/Al/SiO2/Si), including endurance, retention, and synaptic emulation.
Main Results:
- Bullatacin acetogenin was successfully isolated and characterized.
- AC NFs exhibited significant in vitro anticancer activity against A549 lung carcinoma cells and good biocompatibility with NL-20 lung cells.
- AC NFs demonstrated potent antioxidant properties.
- The fabricated resistive switching device showed stable bipolar switching characteristics (VSET: -1.95 V, VRESET: +1.64 V), high endurance (>5000 cycles), and long retention (~10^4 s).
- The device successfully emulated fundamental and complex synaptic behaviors, including potentiation, depression, and various synaptic current types.
Conclusions:
- Acetogenin-based nanofibers (AC NFs) represent a promising multifunctional platform derived from natural products.
- AC NFs possess significant therapeutic potential due to their anticancer, antioxidant, and biocompatible properties.
- The developed AC NFs can be utilized in bio-inspired electronic devices, demonstrating capabilities for neuromorphic computing applications.
