Design and characterization of ROS-responsive doxorubicin encapsulated Fe3O4@saponin/polyethyleneimine nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery applications

• The synthesis of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs offers a novel approach to address challenges in cancer therapy. • Characterization analyses reveal uniform morphology and elemental composition of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs. • The magnetic properties of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs provide potential for targeted drug delivery , enhancing therapeutic efficacy. • Thermal stability assessments demonstrate the robustness of Fe3O4@SA-PEI-DOX-NPs, crucial during storage and administration. • In vitro studies show promising therapeutic potential of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs in addressing chemotherapy limitations. Cancer therapy poses persistent challenges due to the limitations of conventional chemotherapy, such as non-specific delivery, drug resistance, and toxicity. To address these challenges, we explore the synthesis and application of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs, magnetic iron oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulated in a ROS-sensitive saponin (SA) matrix with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and doxorubicin (DOX) for targeted drug delivery. Fe 3 O 4 NPs were synthesized via a biogenic method utilizing Phyllanthus emblica seed extract and subsequently functionalized with SA and PEI to form Fe 3 O 4 @SA-NPs, further loaded with DOX to obtain Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs. The synthesized Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs exhibited uniform morphology, confirmed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses, with sizes ranging from 20 to 30 nm. Magnetic property analysis revealed saturation magnetization values of 75.1 emu/g for Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs. Drug encapsulation efficiency was determined to be 89.28 % under Reactive oxygen species (ROS) conditions. In vitro release studies showed pH-responsive drug release, with rapid release at pH 5.2 attributed to PEI degradation. Moreover, Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs exhibited anti-inflammatory activity with an IC 50 value of 24.15 µg/mL and significant cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines, with IC 50 values ranging from 58.7 to 94.5 µg/mL. These findings suggest the potential of Fe 3 O 4 @SA-PEI-DOX-NPs as a promising platform for targeted drug delivery and cancer therapy, addressing the limitations of conventional chemotherapy.