Antioxidant, Antitumoral, Antimicrobial, and Prebiotic Activity of Magnetite Nanoparticles Loaded with Bee Pollen/Bee Bread Extracts and 5-Fluorouracil
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie,
Angela Spoiala,
Cristina Chircov,
Georgiana Dolete,
Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea,
Bogdan-Stefan Vasile,
Simona Adriana Crainiceanu,
Adrian-Ionut Nicoara,
Ioana Cristina Marinas,
Miruna Silvia Stan,
Lia-Mara Ditu,
Anton Ficai,
Eliza Oprea
Affiliations
Cornelia-Ioana Ilie
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Angela Spoiala
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Cristina Chircov
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Georgiana Dolete
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu-Cristian Oprea
Academy of Romanian Scientists, 010719 Bucharest, Romania
Bogdan-Stefan Vasile
National Centre for Micro and Nanomaterials and National Centre for Food Safety, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Simona Adriana Crainiceanu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Adrian-Ionut Nicoara
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ioana Cristina Marinas
The Research Institute, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Miruna Silvia Stan
The Research Institute, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Lia-Mara Ditu
The Research Institute, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania
Anton Ficai
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Eliza Oprea
Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 060101 Bucharest, Romania
The gut microbiota dysbiosis that often occurs in cancer therapy requires more efficient treatment options to be developed. In this concern, the present research approach is to develop drug delivery systems based on magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) as nanocarriers for bioactive compounds. First, MNPs were synthesized through the spraying-assisted coprecipitation method, followed by loading bee pollen or bee bread extracts and an antitumoral drug (5-fluorouracil/5-FU). The loaded-MNPs were morphologically and structurally characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), and thermogravimetric analysis. UV-Vis spectroscopy was applied to establish the release profiles and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the antibacterial and antitumoral activity of loaded-MNPs was assessed. The results demonstrate that MNPs with antioxidant, antibacterial, antiproliferative, and prebiotic properties are obtained. Moreover, the data highlight the improvement of 5-FU antibacterial activity by loading on the MNPs’ surface and the synergistic effects between the anticancer drug and phenolic compounds (PCs). In addition, the prolonged release behavior of PCs for many hours (70–75 h) after the release of 5-FU from the developed nanocarriers is an advantage, at least from the point of view of the antioxidant activity of PCs. Considering the enhancement of L. rhamnosus MF9 growth and antitumoral activity, this study developed promising drug delivery alternatives for colorectal cancer therapy.
