Synthesis And Characterization Of Thymoquinone-Loaded Nanoparticle

Thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive compound derived from Nigella sativa, exhibits strong anticancer activity; however, its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low bioavailability. In this study, an alginate-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticle system was developed to improve TQ stability and provide controlled release. Nanoparticles were prepared by nanoprecipitation and characterized in terms of encapsulation efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and morphology using FTIR, SEM, and TEM. TQ quantification and release studies were performed by HPLC. The optimized nanoparticles showed a mean particle size of 178.1 ± 1.41 nm, encapsulation efficiency of 75.9 ± 0.75%, PDI of 0.4, and zeta potential of −25.55 mV. After 72 h, cumulative TQ release reached 81.7% at pH 5.5 and 75.7% at pH 7.4, indicating pH-responsive release behavior. Overall, the alginate-coated PLGA nanoparticles demonstrated potential as a controlled TQ delivery system for cancer therapy.