Functional graphene oxide as a nanocarrier for controlled release and targeted delivery of an anticancer active agent, chlorogenic acid

We have synthesized graphene oxide using improved Hummer's method in order to explore the potential use of the resulting graphene oxide as a nanocarrier for an active anticancer agent, chlorogenic acid (CA). The synthesized graphene oxide and resulting nanohybrid, chlorogenic acid-graphene oxide nanocomposite (CAGO) were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry analysis, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), UV-vis spectroscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques. The successful conjugation of chlorogenic acid with graphene oxide through hydrogen bonding and π-π interaction was confirmed with Raman spectroscopy, FTIR analysis and X-ray diffraction patterns. The loading of CA in the nanohybrid was estimated to be around 13.1% by UV-vis spectroscopy. The release profiles showed favourable, sustained and pH-dependent release of chlorogenic acid from CAGO nanocomposite and kinetic release of CA from graphene oxide nanocarrier conformed well to the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Furthermore, the designed anticancer nanohybrid was thermally more stable than its counterpart. The MTT results revealed insignificant toxicity effect towards normal cell line, with a viability of >. 80% even at higher concentration of 50. μg/mL. Contrarily, CAGO nanocomposite revealed enhanced toxic effect towards evaluated cancer cell lines (HepG2 human liver hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, A549 human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line, and HeLa human cervical cancer cell line) compared to its free form.