Multifunctional Polymeric Biodegradable and Biocompatible Coatings Based on Silver Nanoparticles: A Comparative In Vitro Study on Their Cytotoxicity towards Cancer and Normal Cell Lines of Cytostatic Drugs versus Essential-Oil-Loaded Nanoparticles and on Their Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activities
Rebecca Alexandra Puiu,
Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă,
Valentina Grumezescu,
Liviu Duta,
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea,
Alina Maria Holban,
Ariana Hudiță,
Bianca Gălățeanu,
Paul Cătălin Balaure,
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu,
Ecaterina Andronescu
Affiliations
Rebecca Alexandra Puiu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandra Cătălina Bîrcă
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Valentina Grumezescu
Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania
Liviu Duta
Lasers Department, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alina Maria Holban
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 91-95 Splaiul Independentei Street, 077206 Bucharest, Romania
Ariana Hudiță
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Bianca Gălățeanu
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Paul Cătălin Balaure
Department of Organic Chemistry, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ecaterina Andronescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Politehnica University of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
We report on a comparative in vitro study of selective cytotoxicity against MCF7 tumor cells and normal VERO cells tested on silver-based nanocoatings synthesized by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were loaded with five representative cytostatic drugs (i.e., doxorubicin, fludarabine, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and carboplatin) and with five essential oils (EOs) (i.e., oregano, rosemary, ginger, basil, and thyme). The as-obtained coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry coupled with differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy, IR mapping, and scanning electron microscopy. A screening of the impact of the prepared nanocoatings on the MCF7 tumor and normal VERO cell lines was achieved by means of cell viability MTT and cytotoxicity LDH assays. While all nanocoatings loaded with antitumor drugs exhibited powerful cytotoxic activity against both the tumor and the normal cells, those embedded with AgNPs loaded with rosemary and thyme EOs showed remarkable and statistically significant selective cytotoxicity against the tested cancercells. The EO-loaded nanocoatings were tested for antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans. For all studied pathogens, the cell viability, assessed by counting the colony-forming units after 2 and 24 h, was significantly decreased by all EO-based nanocoatings, while the best antibiofilm activity was evidenced by the nanocoatings containing ginger and thyme EOs.
