ANTITUMOR EFFECTS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOSYNTHESIZED IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES USING SEAWEEDS OF GULF OF MANNAR Original Article

Objective: Three different seaweeds were used for biosynthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles. The screening of seaweeds, and suitable conditions for iron oxide nanoparticle synthesis were analyzed using different optimizing parameters such as concentration of seaweed extract, reaction temperature, and pH. It was found that only one seaweed, Sargassum myriocystem was able to synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles. Methods: Biosynthesized iron oxide particles were characterized and confirmed through the techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Atomic force microscopy, Scanning electron microscope, Transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform spectroscopy. Results: Transmission electron microscopy showed image size of iron oxide nanoparticles as 6 - 12 nm. This biosynthesized S. myriocystum leaf extract biomolecules act as precipitating and capping agent. Formulation of biosynthesized iron oxide nanoparticle with cancer drug flutamide showed in-vitro drug release of 91% which was confirmed with standard flutamide curve. Drug carrier effect in tumors cell through in vivo assay was done to analyze life span of mice, liver enzymes and hematological parameters,. Overall results of In-vivo assay indicated that biosynthesized iron oxide nanoparticles act as good tumor targeted drug carrier with antitumor effect. Conclusion: As evident from the present study, S. myriocystum leaf extract can be used for synthesis iron oxide nanoparticles of 2.8 nm. Biosynthesized iron oxide being smaller and narrow in size which has been used for various types of cancer treatment they were selected further for in-vitro and in-vivo analysis.