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Curcumin (Cur) has shown potential anticancer effects against various cancers, including colorectal and breast cancers. The aim of this study was to develop nanocarriers (NCs) bioconjugated with trastuzumab (Tras) using click reactions. Chitosan-maleimide (CHI-Mal) and thiolated alginate (SH-ALG) were synthesized to prepare CS-Mal/SH-ALG NCs, which were then conjugated with Tras as a receptor-targeting ligand via click chemistry. The characteristics of the NCs, including Cur loading and release profiles, were examined. Biocompatibility, anticancer effects, targetability, and cell death analysis were conducted on HER2-positive breast cancer cell line (SK-BR-3). The developed NCs exhibited a nano-scaled size, relatively spherical shape, and positive surface charge. The 7-day release of Cur from the Cur-loaded CHI-Mal/SH-ALG NCs (Cur-NCs) was significantly higher in the cancer environment (pH 5.5; 98%) compared to body fluid (pH 7.4; 57%). Tras-conjugated Cur-NCs (Tras-Cur-NCs) demonstrated superior anticancer effects, receptor-targeting efficiency, and cellular uptake compared to free Cur and non-targeted Cur-NCs. Additionally, Tras-Cur-NCs enhanced apoptotic cell death, indicating a non-inflammatory cell death with strong anticancer effect against HER2-positive SK-BR-3 cells. The spontaneous click reaction successfully formed pH-responsive Tras-conjugated NCs for targeted Cur delivery to HER2-positive breast cancer cells.

Ciprofloxacin (CIP), a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is commonly used in aquaculture to prevent and treat bacterial infections in aquatic animals. For this reason, aquatic environments contain CIP and its derivatives, which lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria. In the present study, copper nanoparticles were prepared using Garcinia mangostana extract (GME-CuNPs) as a reducing agent and evaluated for their CIP removal efficiency (CRE). The results demonstrate that within 20 min, GME-CuNPs at 25 mM possess a CRE of 92.02 ± 0.09% from CIP-containing aqueous media with pH 6–7. The CRE is influenced by both monovalent and divalent salts. A high salt concentration significantly reduces the CRE. Contaminants in fish wastewater can reduce the CRE, but phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, and ammonia do not affect the CRE. Our results reveal that the CRE is controlled by electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged GME-CuNPs and the cationic species of CIP. The CRE is reduced by wastewater with a pH higher than 8.0, in which the CIP molecules have a negative charge, resulting in a repulsive force due to the negative charge of GME-CuNPs. In fish wastewater with a pH lower than 7.0, GME-CuNPs show the potential to achieve a CRE above 80%. Therefore, pH adjustment to a range of 6–7 in fish wastewater before treatment is deemed imperative. It is concluded that the newly developed GME-CuNPs possess excellent activity in CIP elimination from actual fish wastewater samples. Our findings suggest that GME-CuNPs can be a promising tool to effectively eliminate antibiotics from the environment.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is known for its potential to deliver desirable anticancer effects against various types of cancer including colorectal cancer. However, the adverse effects are serious. This study aimed to synthesize polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA)/acrylic acid (AA)-based nanoparticles (PEGDA/AA NPs) for Dox delivery to colorectal cancer cells. The NPs were synthesized using free-radical polymerization reaction using the monomers PEGDA and AA with their physical properties, drug loading and release, biocompatibility, and anticancer effect evaluated. The NPs were spherical with a size of around 230 nm, with a 48% Dox loading efficiency and with loading capacity of 150 µg/mg. Intriguingly, the NPs had the ability to prolong the release of Dox in vitro over 24 h and were non-toxic to intestinal epithelial cells. Dox-loaded PEGDA/AA NPs (Dox-NPs) were able to effectively kill the colorectal cancer cell line (HT-29) with the Dox-NPs accumulating inside the cell and killing the cell through the apoptosis pathway. Overall, the synthesized PEGDA/AA NPs exhibit considerable potential as a drug delivery carrier for colon cancer-directed, staged-release therapy.