Achillea goniocephala Extract Loaded into Nanochitosan: In Vitro Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

Introduction: The present study aimed to prepare Achillea goniocephala chloroform extract and evaluate antioxidant and cytotoxic effects. Then, the nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized on the most efficient extracts and the biological activities of the free forms of the extracts were compared with the NPs forms. Methods: Antioxidant capacities of 14 extracts (A-N) prepared using column chromatography were determined by FRAP, DPPH and CUPRAC methods. Again, the cytotoxic activities of all fractions were evaluated on MCF-7 and HT-29 cell lines using the XTT cell viability assay. Chitosantripolyphosphate (TPP) NPs of the extracts with the most active biological properties were formed using the ionic gelation method. Results: The particle size of the NPs synthesized from the two most efficient extracts was found to be between 274.12 and 296.25 nm. The extract-encapsulation and loading-efficiency of the most active NPs were found 77.6±0.04% and 7.76±0.01% for the F extract and 10.2±0.02 and 1.39±0.07% for the H extract, respectively. Conclusions: While antioxidant activity results of chitosan NPs were close to unencapsulated extracts, cytotoxic activity results were found to be better than unencapsulated extracts. Based on these results, it is thought that it would be more effective to use the encapsulated forms of A. goniocephala instead of the raw extract of the plant in the treatment.