Study of Characterization, Antimicrobial, and Anticancer Potential of Albumin-Baicalin Nanoparticles in Hep3B Liver Cancer Cell Lines

This study investigates the potential of nanomedicine, specifically albumin (Al) nanoparticles (NPs) and baicalin (Ba), in treating hepatocellular carcinoma and combating antibiotic and drug resistance, highlighting their small size, beneficial properties, and customizable flexibility. Various methods, including X-ray diffraction, DLS, FESEM, TEM, FTIR, UV–Vis, and PL spectroscopy, were used to synthesize and characterize Al-Ba NPs. The study confirmed Al-Ba nanoparticles’ crystalline structure and size distribution, with an average size of 131.20 nm. The nanoparticles were polydisperse, with a polycrystalline hexagonal structure. FTIR analysis identified surface-stabilizing biomolecules and UV–visible spectroscopy confirmed nanoparticle formation. Biological studies showed significant antimicrobial efficacy against bacterial and fungal species, particularly Candida albicans . In vitro, assays on Hep3B liver cancer cells showed that Al-Ba nanoparticles inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with the IC50 value determined for further apoptosis studies. Dual staining (acridine orange/ethidium bromide and 4ʹ,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) revealed apoptosis-related morphological changes, while oxidative stress markers showed reduced antioxidant enzyme levels. ELISA confirmed that Al-Ba NPs induce apoptosis by activating caspases and pro-apoptotic markers (Bax, p53, Cyt-C) and downregulating Bcl-2. Al-Ba nanoparticles show potential as antimicrobial and anticancer treatments because they reduce cell viability, disrupt membrane integrity, and trigger apoptosis. These properties suggest that Al-Ba nanoparticles could be a promising alternative to traditional treatments, as they can reduce antiapoptotic proteins and activate pro-apoptotic proteins, leading to cell death. Graphical Abstract