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

Ficus Carica extract (FC) 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 FC's low bioavailability and low solubility, its clinical use as an anti-cancer medicine is constrained. The current study aimed to prepare FC-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) for cancer treatment. Prepared NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the spherical FC-loaded PLGA NPs had a particle size (162 ± 0.7 nm), a polydispersity index (0.08 ± 0.005), and zeta potential (-4.7 ± 0.6 mV). The encapsulation and loading efficiency was 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 TFK-1 cell line, which showed that both free FC and corresponding FC concentrations in NPs were cytotoxic. Cell cycle analysis showed that the FC arrests the cells in G0/G1 phase, and the cell arrest rate is higher in FC-loaded NPs as compared to free form. A phototoxicity study also showed that the phototoxicity of FC-loaded PLGA NPs was time-dependent and enhanced in comparison to free FC. The study's results demonstrated that FC-encapsulated PLGA NPs are promising for cancer therapy as a phyto- and phototherapeutic agent-based system. .