Anti-cancer and bactericidal activity of electrospun chitosan/poly(ethylene oxide)/papaya nanofibres

Electrospun nanofibers offer unique qualities, including a high surface-to-volume ratio, surface modification, and conversion to a fine mesh mat or membrane. Keeping this in mind, chitosan/polyethylene oxide (PEO)/papaya (Pap) nanofibers were developed by electrospinning and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results from the study infers that, Ch:PEO:Pap (chitosan/PEO)/papaya) nanofibers had a diameter of 78.9 21 nm, resulting in a hydrophobic material with a high contact angle value. FTIR analysis confirms the existence of hydroxyl and amino groups during the interaction of chitosan/PEO and papaya. The Ch:PEO:Pap nanofiber inhibits bacterial growth in broth and the colony-forming ability of Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ) strains. Furthermore, MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were found to be cytotoxic upon treatment with Ch:PEO:Pap nanofibers with an inhibitory half-maximum concentration of 60.37 ± 2.6 µg/mL. As indicated by fluorescence microscopy, Ch:PEO:Pap nanofibers stimulate apoptotic cell death by damaging the nuclear membrane. To summarize, the as-prepared Ch:PEO:Pap nanofiber can be a remarkable nanomaterial with an acceptable size that induces antibacterial and anticancer activity.