Ficus carica leaves extract-loaded PLGA nanoparticles: preparation, characterization, and in vitro anticancer activity on TFK-1 cell line

<i>Ficus carica</i>extract (FCe) is a natural herb that has received a lot of interest in cancer treatment due to its potential anticancer activities against various malignancies. However, due to FCe's low bioavailability and low solubility, its clinical use as an anti-cancer medicine is constrained. The current study aimed to prepare FCe-loaded poly(lactic-<i>co</i>-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer treatment. Prepared NPs were characterized by UV-v is spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the spherical FCe-loaded PLGA NPs had a particle size of 162 ± 0.7 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.08 ± 0.005, and a zeta potential of -4.7 ± 0.6 mV. The encapsulation and loading efficiency were found to be 56 ± 2.3% and 14 ± 1.5%, respectively. A drug release study indicated a diffusion-based release profile. Cytotoxicity was evaluated on the extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma (TFK-1) cell line, which showed that both free FCe and corresponding FCe concentrations in NPs were cytotoxic. Cell cycle analysis showed that the FCe arrests the cells in G0/G1 phase, and the cell arrest rate is higher in FCe-loaded NPs compared to free form. A phototoxicity study also showed that the phototoxicity of FCe-loaded PLGA NPs was time-dependent and enhanced in comparison to free FCe. The study's results demonstrated that FCe-encapsulated PLGA NPs are promising for cancer therapy as a phyto- and phototherapeutic agent-based system.