Photoinduced cytotoxicity by a platinum diimine complex employing magnetite-silica nanocomposites as delivery vehicles

Tartaric acid-modified core-shell magnetite-silica nanocomposites were prepared by a sol-gel method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Then the nanocomposites were employed as carriers of a photoactive platinum diimine complex. Photoinduced cytotoxicity by the photosensitizer-loaded nanocomposites in different human carcinoma cells has been studied by cell viability assay. The results suggest that the as-synthesized nanocomposites have good stability in water, and the cytotoxicity induced by the platinum diimine complex in red light can be significantly enhanced when the photosensitizer is loaded with the magnetic nanocomposites.