Ameliorating quercetin delivery in cancer therapy with polyvinyl alcohol /halloysite/starch nanocomposite

Challenges in cancer treatment can be overcome through the development of pH-responsive drug delivery systems utilizing nanocarriers. This study reports the fabrication of a novel water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) double nanoemulsion encapsulating quercetin (QUE), a natural anti-cancer agent. The nanocomposite, composed of starch (S), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and halloysite nanotubes (HNT), offers unique advantages for targeted drug delivery. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups characteristic of each component (S, PVA, and HNT) within the nanocomposite, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis provided insights into its crystalline structure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis revealed that the drug-loaded nanocomposites have a semi-spherical shape with an average size of 171.25 nm. By utilizing HNT for encapsulation, the study achieved encapsulation and drug loading efficiencies of 87 % and 46.25 %, respectively. Furthermore, the S/PVA component improved the pH-responsiveness of the nanocomposite, facilitating a sustained release of QUE as demonstrated by the in vitro release studies. Various kinetic models were applied to the experimental release data to elucidate the underlying drug release mechanisms. MTT assays and flow cytometry investigations demonstrated significant cytotoxicity of the final S/PVA/HNT/QUE nanocarrier against MCF-7 cancer cells, with evidence of increased apoptotic cell death. Based on these comprehensive findings, the S/PVA/HNT/QUE nanocarrier holds great promise as a pH-responsive drug delivery system for cancer treatment. [Display omitted] •This study created a new quercetin-loaded nanoemulsion for targeted cancer treatment that responds to changes in acidity.•Analysis confirmed the structure and function of the drug-loaded spheres.•Adding HNT significantly improved how much quercetin the nanocomposite could hold.•The nanocomposite releases quercetin over time in response to acidity levels.•The nanocomposite effectively killed breast cancer cells, showing promise as a pH-responsive cancer treatment.