title: Curcumin associated magnetite nanoparticles inhibit in vitro melanoma cell growth.
abstract: Curcumin is a natural product possessing therapeutic properties but the low water solubility of this compound limits its use. We have successfully incorporated curcumin into a bilayer of dodecanoic acid attached to magnetite nanoparticles in an effort to maximize solubility and delivery efficiency. Curcumin/magnetite nanoparticles were characterized using diffused reflectance infra-red fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Moreover curcumin associated magnetite nanoparticles inhibited in vitro melanoma cell growth. An inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 66.0 +/- 3.0 microM (48 +/- 2.2 microg-iron/mL) was observed for the curcumin/magnetite nanoparticles. Fluorescent microscopy revealed that curcumin associated magnetite nanoparticles were internalized by the melanoma cells and remained in the cytoplasm. The curcumin/magnetic nanoparticles synthesized in this study possess magnetic and water solubility properties making this a novel curcumin formulation with therapeutic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology Sciences Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia-GO 74001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda França
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Michelly Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Debora Cristina Silva
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: dos Passos
authors.forename: Emilia Celma de Oliveira
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Lidia Andreu
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Guillo
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D033362:Powder Diffraction
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003474:Curcumin; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide