Polymer-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles for Curcumin Delivery to Cancer Cells

The new goal of anticancer agent research is the screening of natural origin drugs with lower systemic adverse effects than synthetic compounds. Here, we focus on curcumin, an important polyphenolic pigment classically used as spice in the Indian cuisine. The molecule has high pleiotropic activities including strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its clinical potential is limited due its low solubility and bioavailability. We have developed a layer by layer functionalization of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (nano-Fe3O4) by coating biodegradable polyelectrolyte multilayers such as Dextran (DXS) and Poly(l-lysine) (PLL). Physico-chemical studies were performed to obtain a high upload of curcumin in Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Nano-Fe3O4 were then tested against an ovarian cancer cell line, SKOV-3, to demonstrate their therapeutic efficacy.