Photoluminescent oxaliplatin loaded porous starch coated with pectin biopolymer: Design, fabrication, and controlled drug delivery

Today’s carbohydrate-based bio-carriers have attracted more attention as drug delivery agents, so they have brilliant biocompatibility, as well as, controlled drug release potential. Considering these, the porous starch (PS) with the honeycomb network was in situ synthesized in the presence of pre-synthesized carbon dots (CDs/PS). The SEM displayed the porous structure of CDs/PS with a uniform dispersion of CDs in the polymer matrix. BET analysis obtained the diameter of the porous sites at about 37.319 nm. After oxaliplatin (OXP) loading the OXP/CDs/PS was coated with the pectin (Pec) in a green strategy ((OXP/CDs/PS)@Pec). The drug release studies displayed that the (OXP/CDs/PS)@Pec has a controlled release performance than OXP/CDs/PS in the simulated pH of oral drug delivery condition. The biocompatibility of the (CDs/PS)@Pec and its cancer cell-killing capability after drug loading were approved via MTT test. These results promoted us that the modification of OXP/CDs/PS with Pec achieves a controlled drug release profile and the fabricated system could be suggested as a new delivery system with targeted delivery potential. • Garlic-based carbon dots were used in the preparation of a porous photoluminescent hybrid with starch (CDs/PS). • Oxaliplatin was loaded on CDs/PS (OXP/CDs/PS). • OXP/CDs/PS coated with pectin ((OXP/CDs/PS)@Pec) was stable in simulated stomach conditions. • The developed (OXP/CDs/PS)@Pec showed the in vitro anticancer activity. • Good hemocompatibility and biocompatibility of (CDs/PS)@Pec were verified.