Physicochemical and in vitro characterization of Agarose based nanocarriers incorporated with Graphene Quantum Dots/ α-Fe2O3 for targeted drug delivery of Quercetin to liver cancer treatment.

The forefront hydrogel nanocomposite, resulting from the integration of Agarose (Aga), Graphene Quantum Dots (GQDs), and α-Fe2O3, offers a novel approach to pH-responsive drug delivery, specifically tailored for the controlled release of Quercetin (QC), a potent anti-cancer agent. The incorporation of the surfactant Span 80 enhances the unique properties conferred by the integration of α-Fe2O3 into the Aga-modified GQDs hydrogel, resulting in the production of stable nanocarriers that improve QC retention. Thorough analyses utilizing Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) shed light on the characteristics of the nanocarriers. The presence of nanoparticles within the nanocarriers was confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), revealing a spherical morphology with an average size of approximately 279.04 nm and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.24. Measurements of the zeta potential indicated a positive surface charge of about 52.8 mV. In the Aga/GQDs configuration, loading and encapsulation efficiencies reached 35 % and 67 %, respectively. With the inclusion of α-Fe2O3, improvements were observed, with loading and encapsulation efficiencies reaching 47 % and 86.25 %, respectively, surpassing previous values. Cellular tests conducted on the HepG2 cell line demonstrated the heightened anticancer efficacy of QC-loaded nanoparticles while assessing potential adverse effects. These results underscore the exciting potential of the nanocarrier as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. • Development of a pH-responsive hydrogel nanocomposite integrating Agarose, Graphene Quantum Dots, and α-Fe2O3 for controlled drug delivery. • Optimization of loading and encapsulation efficiencies through the inclusion of α-Fe2O3, surpassing previous benchmarks. • Demonstrated efficacy against HepG2 cancer cells, highlighting the potential of the nanocomposite as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]