NANOEMULSION-BASED CAMPHOR OIL CARRYING IFOSFAMIDE: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION IN CANCER CELLS

Formulating the essential oils with the chemotherapeutic agents in nanocarrier may develop a potent effect on the cancer cells. A nanoemulsion consisting of the camphor oil (CAM-NE) and Ifosfamide (IFO)-loaded in CAM-NE (CAM-IFO) were physically characterized by the zetasizer and evaluated for in-vitro antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 breast and HeLa cervical cancer cell lines. The cell growth inhibition, cell morphological changes, and apoptosis of the cancer cells, subjected into the CAM-NE, CAM-IFO and the free-drug (IFO), were examined by the MTT assay, light microscopy, and DAPI stain, respectively. It has been found that the dispersed nanodroplets of CAM-NE had mean particle diameter and zeta potential of 34.975 ± 9.35 nm and -13.75 ± 1.06 mV, respectively, which had got enlarged to  96.235 ± 9.00 nm and -22.00 ± 0.49 mV, respectively, when IFO was incorporated (CAM-IFO). The results of the cell growth inhibition and cellular uptake have demonstrated that CAM-IFO has the highest cytotoxic effect on both tested cells when compared with CAM-NE and IFO. These findings suggest that the combination therapy of IFO with NE-based CAM oil has potential anticancer activity.