Antiproliferative effects of new magnetic pH-responsive drug delivery system composed of Fe3O4, CaAl layered double hydroxide and levodopa on melanoma cancer cells.

In this study, an efficient drug delivery system composed of Fe₃O₄, CaAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) and l-Dopa has been synthesized through hydrogen bonds between l-Dopa and CaAl-LDH encapsulated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@l-Dopa). The structural features of Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@l-Dopa were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, FT-IR, VSM, TGA, XPS, zeta potential analysis and BET. All of the characterization techniques show the uniform high surface area core-shell structure with about 120 nm in average size. Also, the obtained results clearly indicate that this drug delivery system possess high potent for adsorption of l-Dopa (52 wt%) and high drug encapsulation efficiency (71%). The amount of l-Dopa release in low pHs (53.8%) which simulates the environment of cancer cells is greater than higher pHs. The in vitro cytotoxic and anticancer activities of Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@l-Dopa were investigated against Mel-Rm Cells Melanoma (NCIt: C3224) using LDH colorimetric assay and differential staining cell death assay. The results showed Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@l-Dopa with a lower concentration of l-Dopa, illustrate a higher cytotoxicity and anticancer activity.