GREEN SYNTHESIS OF CUO NANOPARTICLES LOADED WITH POLYMERIC NANOSCAFFOLDS FROM SARGASSUM WIGHTII EXTRACT FOR ENHANCED ANTICANCER ACTIVITY ON HT-29 AND MCF-7 CELLS

Abstract

This study presents a sustainable and biocompatible approach for fabricating starch/PVA electrospun nanoscaffolds incorporated with ultrasonically synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) derived from Sargassum wightii extract. The green-synthesized CuO NPs exhibited a surface plasmon resonance peak at 292 nm (UV-Vis), while Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of stabilizing phytochemicals and successful integration into the nanoscaffold matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a monoclinic tenorite phase for CuO NPs, whereas Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging demonstrated uniform nanoparticle distribution within the fibrous scaffold. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated thermal stability up to 220°C, and Dynamic light scattering (DLS) confirmed colloidal stability with a zeta potential of −120 mV. In vitro anticancer activity against HT-29 colon and MCF-7 breast cancer cells demonstrated dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with starch/PVA/CuO-NPs nanoscaffolds exhibiting the highest potency (IC₅₀: ~12 µg/mL for HT-29; ~18 µg/mL for MCF-7), outperforming standalone CuO NPs and algal extract. The enhanced efficacy is attributed to synergistic interactions between the polymer matrix and nanoparticles, promoting reactive oxygen species generation. These findings underscore the potential of eco-friendly nanoscaffolds as promising anticancer agents, warranting further mechanistic and in vivo studies.