Orange-Peel-Derived Nanobiochar for Targeted Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Cancer-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS) based on carbon nanostructures have shown great promise in cancer therapy due to their ability to selectively recognize specific receptors overexpressed in cancer cells. In this paper, we have explored a green route to synthesize nanobiochar (NBC) endowed with graphene structure from the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of orange peels and evaluated the suitability of this nanomaterial as a nanoplatform for cancer therapy. In order to compare the cancer-targeting ability of different widely used targeting ligands (TL), we have conjugated NBC with biotin, riboflavin, folic acid and hyaluronic acid and have tested, in vitro, their biocompatibility and uptake ability towards a human alveolar cancer cell line (A549 cells). The nanosystems which showed the best biological performances—namely, the biotin- and riboflavin- conjugated systems—have been loaded with the poorly water-soluble drug DHF (5,5-dimethyl-6a-phenyl-3-(trimethylsilyl)-6,6a-dihydrofuro[3,2-b]furan-2(5H)-one) and tested for their anticancer activity. The in vitro biological tests demonstrated the ability of both systems to internalize the drug in A549 cells. In particular, the biotin-functionalized NBC caused cell death percentages to more than double with respect to the drug alone. The reported results also highlight the positive effect of the presence of oxygen-containing functional groups, present on the NBC surface, to improve the water dispersion stability of the DDS and thus make the approach of using this nanomaterial as nanocarrier for poorly water-soluble drugs effective.

Voltammetric Sensor Based on Waste‐Derived Carbon Nanodots for Enhanced Detection of Nitrobenzene

“…Both from the economical and eco‐friendly points of point of view, wastes of industrial and agricultural processes are very attractive for their low cost and to chance to recover the manufactured side‐products and reconvert them to useful materials. Therefore, the production of new carbon nanostructures from these wastes is highly demanding and covers a wide range of application fields [3] . Natural raw materials such as biomass and plant wastes are the most interesting feedstock for the synthesis of carbonaceous nanomaterials due to their high availability, environmental compatibility, and affinity with Green Chemistry principles [4–6] .…”

“…Therefore, the production of new carbon nanostructures from these wastes is highly demanding and covers a wide range of application fields. [3] Natural raw materials such as biomass and plant wastes are the most interesting feedstock for the synthesis of carbonaceous nanomaterials due to their high availability, environmental compatibility, and affinity with Green Chemistry principles. [4][5][6] Carbon dots (CDs), a new class of carbon-based zero-dimensional materials, typically less than � 10 nm in diameter, exhibiting excellent photostability and biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, fluorescence, and ease of surface modification, have attracted much attention due to their interesting properties, leading to diverse applications in catalysis, bio-imaging, drug delivery, and so on.…”

Definitive Review of Nanobiochar

“…Oxygen-containing functional groups present on nanobiochar surface exhibited improved water dispersion stability during drug delivery. This helps overcome the limitations of DHF which is the most used cancer drug. , This study paved the path for further research on new nanobiochar-based nano carriers for cancer therapy that will minimize the associated side effects and systemic toxicity associated with the conventional chemotherapy …”

“…Nanomaterials have recently been extensively tested for use in drug delivery . Since nanobiochar can adsorb a variety of pharmaceuticals, it can also be applied for drug delivery. ,,,, Multifunctional nanobiochar properties have attracted attention for use in targeted drug delivery . Orange peel nanobiochar derived via hydrothermal carbonization (at 240 °C for 1 h) was tested to deliver a drug used in cancer treatment .…”

“…Since nanobiochar can adsorb a variety of pharmaceuticals, it can also be applied for drug delivery. ,,,, Multifunctional nanobiochar properties have attracted attention for use in targeted drug delivery . Orange peel nanobiochar derived via hydrothermal carbonization (at 240 °C for 1 h) was tested to deliver a drug used in cancer treatment . A prepared nanobiochar can be covalently conjugated with riboflavin, folic acid, hyaluronic acid, and biotin using coupling reactions at room temperature .…”