Characterization of Betulinic Acid-Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified with Hydrophilic Biopolymer for Improved Biocompatibility on NIH/3T3 Cell Line.

The biocompatibility of carbon nanotubes (CNT) is fairly a challenging task for their applications in nanomedicine. Therefore, the objective of this research was to formulate four types of highly biocompatible betulinic acid-loaded biopolymer nanocomposites, namely chitosan-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWBA-CS), polyethylene glycol-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWBA-PG), Tween 20-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWBA-T2) and Tween 80-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWBA-T8). The physico-chemical properties of the modified nanocomposites were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy, while the surface morphology of the resulting nanocomposites was studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).

Preparation, characterisation and biological evaluation of biopolymer-coated multi-walled carbon nanotubes for sustained-delivery of silibinin.

This research work represents the first major step towards constructing an effective therapeutic silibinin (SB) in cancer treatment using oxidised multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) functionalised with biocompatible polymers as the potential drug carrier. In an attempt to increase the solubility and dispersibility of SB-loaded nanotubes (MWSB), four water-soluble polymers were adopted in the preparation process, namely polysorbate 20 (T20), polysorbate 80 (T80), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chitosan (CHI). From the geometry point of view, the hydrophobic regions of the nanotubes were loaded with water-insoluble SB while the hydrophilic polymers functionalised on the outer surfaces of the nanotubes serve as a protective shell to the external environment.

Incorporation of Levodopa into Biopolymer Coatings Based on Carboxylated Carbon Nanotubes for pH-Dependent Sustained Release Drug Delivery.

Four drug delivery systems were formulated by non-covalent functionalization of carboxylated single walled carbon nanotubes using biocompatible polymers as coating agent (i.e., Tween 20, Tween 80, chitosan or polyethylene glycol) for the delivery of levodopa, a drug used in Parkinson's disease.

In vitro drug release characteristic and cytotoxic activity of silibinin-loaded single walled carbon nanotubes functionalized with biocompatible polymers.

In this paper, we demonstrate the preparation of silibinin-loaded carbon nanotubes (SWSB) with surface coating agents via non-covalent approach as an effective drug delivery system. The resulting surface-coated SWSB nanocomposites are extensively characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrometry and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The FTIR and Raman studies show that an additional layer is formed by these coating agents in the prepared nanocomposites during the coating treatment and these results are confirmed by FESEM.

Biocompatible polymers coated on carboxylated nanotubes functionalized with betulinic acid for effective drug delivery.

Chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes are highly suitable and promising materials for potential biomedical applications like drug delivery due to their distinct physico-chemical characteristics and unique architecture. However, they are often associated with problems like insoluble in physiological environment and cytotoxicity issue due to impurities and catalyst residues contained in the nanotubes. On the other hand, surface coating agents play an essential role in preventing the nanoparticles from excessive agglomeration as well as providing good water dispersibility by replacing the hydrophobic surfaces of nanoparticles with hydrophilic moieties.

Release behaviour and toxicity evaluation of levodopa from carboxylated single-walled carbon nanotubes.

This work explores the potential use of commercially obtained, carboxylated, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT-COOH) as nanocarriers for the antiparkinson drug, levodopa (LD). The resulting nanohybrid was characterized using materials characterization methods including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that SWCNT-COOH were able to form supramolecular complexes with LD via a π-π stacking interaction and exhibited favourable, slow, sustained-release characteristics as a drug carrier with a release period over more than 20 h.

Characterization and in vitro studies of the anticancer effect of oxidized carbon nanotubes functionalized with betulinic acid.

Among the array of nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes have shown great potential as drug carriers in the field of nanomedicine, owing to their attractive physicochemical structure, which facilitates functionalization of therapeutic molecules onto their external walls or being encapsulated inside the tubes. The aim of this preliminary study was to formulate betulinic acid (BA), a poorly water-soluble drug, in oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH) for enhanced delivery efficiency into cancer cells with reduced cytotoxicity. The synthesized MWCNT-BA nanocomposite was characterized using ultraviolet-visible, Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and field emission scanning electron microscopy techniques.