# Polymeric β-cyclodextrin/alginate/Colocasia esculenta mucilage (β-CD/Alg/CEM) nanocomposites for the controlled delivery of 5-fluorouracil

## TL;DR

This study develops nanocomposites to control the release of 5-fluorouracil, a chemotherapy drug, to reduce toxicity and improve effectiveness.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is the creation of β-CD/Alg/CEM nanocomposites for pH-sensitive, controlled drug delivery of 5-FU.

## Key findings

- Nanocomposites achieved 87.33% drug content and 79.06% yield with particle sizes between 80–100 nm.
- 5-FU release was significantly lower in acidic conditions, showing pH-sensitive behavior.
- The nanocomposites showed strong tumor-suppressive activity against MCF-7 cells with minimal impact on normal cells.

## Abstract

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used cytotoxic chemotherapy drug in cancer management; its effectiveness in therapy is reduced due to a short half-life and toxic effects on healthy cells. This study aimed to overcome these limitations by preparing β-cyclodextrin/alginate/Colocasia esculenta mucilage (β-CD/Alg/CEM) nanocomposites containing 5-FU, designed for controlled release in various pH environments. Stable nanocomposites were successfully synthesized through the ionotropic gelation technique, achieving a drug content of 87.33 ± 1.75%, while the %age yield was found to be 79.06 ± 0.53%. Particle size analysis revealed a range of 80–100 nm with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.611. The zeta potential analysis showed that the nanocomposites possessed a surface charge of −27.1 mV. The nanocomposites displayed a porous and irregular morphology with a notably rough surface. In the acidic conditions of simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2), the 5-FU release was markedly less than in the neutral conditions of simulated colorectal fluid (pH 7.4), indicating effective pH-sensitive release properties. The cytotoxic assay confirmed significant tumor–suppressive activity against MCF-7 and minimal effect on normal cells.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used cytotoxic chemotherapy drug in cancer management; its effectiveness in therapy is reduced due to a short half-life and toxic effects on healthy cells.