β-Cyclodextrin Citrate-Modified Nickel Nanoparticles for Anticancer Drug Delivery

Gold and silver remain the widely explored metal nanoparticles for biomedical applications. Albeit less frequently investigated, inspired by the zero valency and plasmonic characteristics and biological applications of 3d series elements, nanoparticulate forms are prepared. Nickel nanoparticles represent easy-to-synthesize and magnetically active nanostructures that can be employed in drug delivery. The additional benefit of nickel nanoparticles is their magnetic property, an essential condition for field-assisted drug delivery. The surface should be modified to make the magnetic nanoparticles biocompatible and drug-accommodating. Herein, we report the synthesis of [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin-citrate-modified nickel nanoparticles. The [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin immobilization is purported to inclusion complex formation of the drug 5-fluorouracil. The materials are characterized using XRD, FT-IR and XPS. The nickel nanoparticles show a size of [Formula: see text]130[Formula: see text]nm, as shown by dynamic light scattering. The elemental composition is screened using XPS. The as-synthesized nickel nanoparticles are rod-shaped, formed by assembled spherical particles in a linear fashion. Distinct sphere shapes are seen when viewed under TEM. FT-IR spectra confirmed the [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin-citrate modification. The encapsulation efficiency observed for the drug 5-fluorouracil in the nanoparticles is high (90%). The drug release studies with respect to time are carried out and the release occurs for over 12[Formula: see text]h. In vitro, anticancer screening on MDA-MB-231 cell lines is carried out. Flow cytometric analysis of the cell cycle when treated with the bare nanocarrier and drug-encapsulated one shows their different actions on various phases of the cell cycle. The [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin-citrate modified nickel nanoparticles show appreciable results as a nanocarrier.