CHED 1298 |
| In this study, a system for delivering drugs to cancer cells has been established by attaching gold nanoparticles to the insoluble anticancer natural supplement Curcumin. The gold nanoconjugate was synthesized by attaching the natural product Curcumin to 10 nm gold nanoparticles via hydrazone bond. Due to its conjugation to gold nanoparticles, Curcumin, which is insoluble in water, could form a 1.5 mM aqueous solution. Cellular uptake measurement using Confocal Microscopy showed significantly higher Curcumin signal in the Au-Curcumin nanoconjugate treated cells compared to cells treated with Curcumin alone. Cytotoxicity of the Au-Curcumin nanoconjugate was tested on the Cisplatin resistant C-13 ovarian cancer cells and MDA-MB 231 (p53-) breast cancer cells, cytotoxicity studies showed higher than a two fold difference in IC50 values for Au-Curcumin over Curcumin. The results demonstrate that conjugation of Curcumin to gold nanoparticles can enhance its bioavailability, cellular uptake, and efficacy of anticancer activity. Conjugation of anticancer drugs to gold nanoparticles can be a general strategy for improving the therapeutic index of such compounds. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Medicinal Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |