Enhanced Drug Delivery of 5-Fluorouracil Using a GO-PVP-SA Nanocomposite for Targeted Colorectal Cancer Treatment

This work presents the development of a novel nanocarrier system consisting of graphene oxide (GO), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and sodium alginate (SA) for precise and regulated delivery of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), a commonly used chemotherapy drug for remission of colorectal cancer. In comparison to systems lacking graphene oxide (GO), the nanocomposite demonstrated a substantial increase in drug loading capacity (46%) and entrapment capacity (85%). The particle size of 297 nm was obtained via experimental investigation of dynamic light scattering (DLS). Analysis of zeta potential showed a value of − 39 mV, indicating a very stable colloidal structure. Drug release experiments conducted in vitro showed that the release of 5-FU was sensitive to pH and accurately adjusted to the acidic conditions often seen in tumor microenvironments (pH 5.4). An investigation of cytotoxicity showed that the SA/PVP/GO@5-FU nanocarrier reduced the survival of colorectal cancer (HCT-116) cells by 50% while maintaining 90% survival in normal L929 fibroblast cells. This study indicates that the SA/PVP/GO@5-FU nanocarrier system has potential as a basis for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of 5-FU by increasing its selectivity, stability, and release rate, thereby reducing systemic toxicity in cancer therapy. Graphical Abstract