# Construction of bioactive nanocomposites from beta-sitosterol, fucoidan, chitosan, and silver nanoparticles for anticancer applications

## TL;DR

Researchers created a new nanocomposite using natural compounds and silver nanoparticles that effectively kills colon and skin cancer cells.

## Contribution

A novel bioactive nanocomposite combining beta-sitosterol, fucoidan, chitosan, and silver nanoparticles for anticancer applications was developed and tested.

## Key findings

- The nanocomposites showed higher anticancer efficacy than cisplatin against colon and skin cancer cells.
- The nanocomposites induced apoptosis and morphological changes in cancer cells.
- The synthesized nanocomposites had a mean size of 146.6 nm and demonstrated strong cell growth inhibition.

## Abstract

Cancers (e.g., colon and skin cancers) are significant causes of mortality. We developed novel anticancer nanocomposites comprising natural bioactive compounds and metal nanoparticles, involving conjugation of beta-sitosterol (BSt) and fucoidan (Fu), for biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), before conjugation with chitosan (CS), to generate potential innovative anticancerous nanocomposites.

The fabricated Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites were characterized for efficacy against colon cancer (HCT-116) and skin cancer (A375) cells. Electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), FTIR infrared spectroscopy, DLS analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy, confirmed the synthesis and interactions within nanocomposites. The MTT assay and dual staining validated the potential nanocomposites’ actions as anticancerous materials, compared to “cisplatin”.

AgNPs had a mean diameter of 8.83 nm, whereas Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS had 146.6 nm size. MTT assay revealed that IC50 of Fu/BSt/AgNPs and Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites were 16.23, 12.75 mg/L against HCT-116 cells, and 34.81, 22.44 mg/L against A375 cells, respectively, which significantly exceeded the cisplatin IC50 (25.56 and 79.77, respectively). The cancer cells’ treatment with nanocomposites revealed significant apoptosis induction and cell growth inhibition. Ultra-structural imaging confirmed the nanocomposites’ ability to trigger cancer cells to undergo morphological alterations, destructions and collapse. Invented Fu/BSt/AgNPs/CS nanocomposites have great promises as safe and effective treatments for colon and skin cancers, generated from natural compounds.