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Abstract Background Site-specific transport of medicinal products to malignant cells and tissues is an intriguing area since it has an ability to safeguard healthy cells. Selective upregulation of folate receptors on colon cancer cells is usual. Consequently, folate receptors have become one of extensively studied target moieties for targeting the delivery of chemotherapeutics. Hence, the study aimed to anchor folic acid, chitosan and oxaliplatin to the functionalized nanotube (FA-CHI-FSWCNT-OXA) for targeting folate receptors on colon cancer cells. The purification process of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) involved the use of an ultrasonic-assisted acid digestion method. The developed complex was evaluated using FTIR, DSC, SEM, XRD and in vitro dissolution studies. SRB and MTT assays were used to assess in vitro cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin and FA-CHI-FSWCNT-OXA) against HT29 and COLO320DM cell lines. Further, progression of apoptosis in cells was investigated using flow cytometry. Results The FTIR results corroborated drug attachment over carbon nanotube (CNT), whereas the TEM results validated the nanosizing (1–300 nm) of the developed system. Drug entrapment in CNT was found to be 93.43 ± 1.65%, and in vitro drug release was found to be 94.73 ± 0.90% after 24 h. The complex reduced viability of 92.35 ± 0.942% cells than oxaliplatin’s 66.58 ± 0.38% inhibition, revealed by MTT assay. In the SRB assay, the developed system showed 91.22 ± 0.90% inhibition, whereas oxaliplatin showed 76.69 ± 0.52% inhibition against HT29 cells. Conclusions Conclusively, the developed system exhibited better cytotoxicity effects as compared with plain oxaliplatin. Our findings are suggestive of the potential development of CNT-anchored antineoplastic agents for target-specific delivery.

Background: In Aayurveda, Blumea eriantha DC has been used in the management of various diseases and is found to exhibit antioxidant and anti-hyperlipidemic, hypoglycemic, anti-diarrhoeal, larvicidal, antimicrobial properties. Objective: The present study has focused on isolation of the active fraction from B. eriantha DC extract and to investigate its effect as a hair growth promoter along with identification of phytoconstituent(s) responsible for hair growth activity and its probable mechanism of action. Materials and methods: Our work introduces an effective isolation protocol for the active fraction from B. eriantha DC extract using chromatographic techniques. Fraction A was isolated by using mobile phase toluene:acetone (9:1). In-vitro and in-vivo methods were executed for the evaluation of hair growth activity. Moreover, the docked conformations of the isolated phytoconstituent Dimethyl sulfone was compared to Minoxidil for selected proteins namely 2FGF, 2PVC and 4U7P. The PDB identifications 2PVC (DNMT3L recognizes unmethylated histone H3 lysine 4), 4U7P (Crystal structure of DNMT3A-DNMT3L complex and 2FGF (Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor) were downloaded from Protein Data Bank. Results: The study data revealed that B. eriantha DC alcoholic extracts exhibited prominent hair growth activity and it was affirmed that Dimethyl sulfone a phyto-constituent isolated from B. eriantha DC alcoholic extract contributed for the same. Conclusion: The findings strongly suggest hair growth promotion potential of the extract of B. eriantha DC.