Optimization of 5-FU adsorption on gelatin incorporated graphene oxide nanocarrier and application for antitumor activity

The present study aims at investigating the adsorption and release performance of 5-FU on gelatin incorporated graphene oxide (GO/GEL) composite. Graphene oxide and GO/GEL samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM. 5-FU was loaded on GO/GEL through π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions. Experimental design studies were conducted to understand the influence of adsorption experiment parameters including pH, GEL concentration and sonication time. Adsorption isotherm studies showed that adsorption of 5-FU was well-fitted to Freundlich model (R² = 0.9981). A positive activation energy of 1.2541 kJ/mol from Dubinin-Radushkevich model revealed that 5-FU adsorption was an endothermic and physically controlled process. The maximum adsorption capacity of 5-FU on GO/GEL composite (Q_m) was calculated as 108.7 mg/g at pH 8.0 and 308 K. Kinetic studies show that 5-FU release from GO/GEL was best fitted to first-order model and the drug release was completed over a period of 9 h in physiological conditions (pH 7.4, temperature of 37 °C). 5-FU loaded GO/GEL composite showed cell viability of 22.8% against MCF-7 cancer cell and good biocompatibility against mice fibroblast cell (L-929) via MTT assay test. The studies suggest that GO/GEL composite has potential as a 5-FU anticancer drug carrier in clinical applications for drug delivery.