“Chitosan–Carrageenan Nanocarriers Potentiate Anticancer Efficacy of Laxmitaru against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer”

Objective - Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) requires new targeted therapies with low toxicity. This study aimed to enhance therapeutic efficacy of Simarouba glauca DC also called Laxmitaru (LX), limited by poor solubility, by developing novel nanoformulation to overcome these pharmaceutical barriers. Significance - This work addresses need for effective TNBC treatments by combining a natural product with nanotechnology. Approach offers biocompatible strategy to significantly improve anticancer action of LX, potentially providing targeted alternative to conventional therapies. Methods - LX encapsulated within chitosan–carrageenan nanoparticles (LX-CC-NPs), formulation characterized for particle size, zeta potential, and physical state. Its anticancer efficacy was evaluated against HCC-70 TNBC cells using MTT assays, also comparing it to free LX and on MCF-10A. Results - Successful encapsulation yielded nanocarriers with increased size of 355.8 nm and positive surface charge of +33.25 mV, transitioned to an amorphous state, favouring drug release. In vitro, LX-CC-NPs exhibited cytotoxicity against HCC-70 cells (IC50 = 74.60 µg/mL; 82.50% inhibition at 200 µg/mL) and demonstrated biocompatibility towards MCF-10A cells, confirming a favourable therapeutic window. Conclusions - Nanoencapsulation effectively overcomes physicochemical limitations of LX, profoundly enhancing its anticancer potency and selectivity against TNBC cells. This work presents promising biocompatible nanomedicine for targeted TNBC therapy.