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In recent years nanotechnologies have been applied to human health with promising results, especially in the field of drug delivery. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have garnered much importance in controlled drug delivery owing to their size. Chitosan (Cs) is a well-recognized biopolymer and Cs NPs have been widely explored in drug delivery. Nonetheless, reports pertaining to green synthesis of Cs NPs are scarce. Thus, in this study, green synthesis of Cs NPs was accomplished from raw mango peel extract. Spherical Cs NPs with positively charged surface of 33.4 mV was accomplished by this process. Cs NPs, in varied content, were integrated in a guar gum network matrix resulting in a nanocomposite hydrogel. The mechanical and thermal stability of the hydrogel improved upon addition of Cs NPs. The hydrogel exhibited smart swelling, good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory propensities. Cs NPs encapsulating 5-Fluorouracil demonstrated a controlled release drug profile in the colorectum and the kinetics implied the anomalous nature of drug release mechanism. The exposure of the drug-loaded nanocomposite hydrogel displayed improved anticancer effects in HT-29 colon cancer cells. Taken altogether, this study puts forth the greater efficacy of Cs NPs in controlled drug delivery for anticancer therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The drastic boom in floriculture and social events in religious and recreational places has inevitably led to generation of tremendous floral waste across the globe. Marigold (Tagetes erecta) is one of the most common loose flowers offered for the same. Generally discarded, these Tagetes floral wastes could be valorized for biogenic syntheses. In this study, we have utilized the floral extract towards green synthesis of nano ZnO, the formation of which was affirmed from different analytical techniques. Bionanocomposite Schiff-base hydrogel composed of chitosan and dialdehyde pectin was fabricated by the facile strategy of in situ polymer cross-linking, and the ZnO nanoparticles were embedded in the hydrogel matrix. The hydrogel exhibited remarkable self-healing ability. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were enhanced owing to nano ZnO. Furthermore, it was hemocompatible and biodegradable. A controlled release drug profile for 5-fluorouracil from the hydrogel was accomplished in the colorectum. The exposure of the drug-loaded nanocomposite hydrogel demonstrated improved anticancer effects in HT-29 colon cancer cells. The findings of this study altogether put forth the successful biovalorization of Tagetes floral waste extract for colon cancer remedy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

As global population escalates; the need for better healthcare shall inevitably intensify. Current scenario, thus, calls for a versatile technology for the construction for smart biomaterials to cater to the needs. In this context; hydrogels comprising carboxymethyl chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol (CMCS/ PVA) were fabricated using a green crosslinker, tetraethyl orthosilicate. To enhance their bio-efficacy; cold plasma assisted surface tailoring of the aforesaid hydrogels was performed as a function of four different gases viz Air, Ar, He and N2. Apart from improving the surface wettability; plasma treatment endowed the hydrogels with an improved tensile strength. 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) release studies from the hydrogels validated their potential as oral colon-targeted delivery systems. Hemolytic experiments revealed no adverse effect on RBCs post-plasma treatment. Pristine hydrogels exhibited good cytocompatibility with MCF-7 cells. A strong cell growth inhibition was observed from 5FU-loaded hydrogels as validated by caspase-3 assay. Further assessment by the soil burial test revealed the hydrogels were biodegradable. Among all, the Ar-plasma treated hydrogel demonstrated superior hemocompatibility, chemosensitivity and biodegradability. Thus, cold plasma technology has invariably paved the path as an eco-friendly, economical and effectual strategy for development of novel CMCS/ PVA hydrogels in anticancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]