Abstract
Tri-nanocomposite system of biocompatible polymers (gelatin/gum arabic) functionalized onto graphene-oxide nanosheets for controlling the release of an anticancer, doxorubicin (DOX), was fabricated via green-biosynthesis. Biocompatibility and nano-size stability of the tri-nanocomposite was characterized by SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, and zeta-potential. Loading-efficiency, release-behavior and cytotoxic-activity of DOX-loaded-composite in WI-38 normal-lung-fibroblast and A549 lung-carcinoma cells were investigated. High DOX-loading (at pH 9.5), with pH-sensitive release from loaded-composite was achieved, with 25% and 77% DOX released, at physiological pH 7.4 and cancerous pH 5.3, respectively. Stability of tri-nanocomposite system was confirmed over 3-months storage at accelerated conditions, as presented by FTIR, XRD, TEM, zeta-potential and in-vitro release assays. High proliferative inhibitory effect of DOX loaded-composite, on A549-cells, with minimal toxicity on WI-38-cells, with IC50 values of 51.9 ± 0.46 and 185±1.08 µg/mL, against A549 and WI-38, respectively. Proposed tri-nanocomposite offers a novel combination of gelatin/gum arabic with graphene-oxide for targeted drug-delivery and efficient anti-cancer therapy.