Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles as biocompatible carriers for curcumin-anticancer drug

The bovine serum albumin-coated magnetic nanoparticles ([email protected] NPs) were prepared as curcumin (CUR) carriers through desolvation and chemical co-precipitation process. The characteristics of CUR loaded [email protected] NPs ([email protected]@CUR NPs) were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating-sampling magnetometry (VSM) techniques. It was found that the synthesized [email protected]@CUR NPs were spherical in shape with an average size of 56 ± 11.43 nm (mean ± SD (n = 33)), ζ-potential of −10.1 mV, and good magnetic responsivity. Meanwhile, the drug content of the nanoparticles was 6.88%. These [email protected]@CUR NPs also demonstrated sustained release of CUR at 37 °C in different buffer solutions. Cellular toxicity of [email protected]@CUR NPs was studied on HFF2 cell line. Also, the cytotoxicity of [email protected]@CUR NPs towards MCF-7 breast cancer cells was investigated. The results revealed that [email protected]@CUR NPs have significant cytotoxicity activity on MCF-7 cell line.