Graphene oxide based magnetic nanocomposites for efficient treatment of breast cancer

• A simple one step synthesis of graphene oxide magnetic composites (GOIO) using ferrofluid is reported.
• Comparative studies of GOIO synthesized using ferrofluid (GOIOF) method and in situ (GOIOI) techniques are performed.
• Anastrozole as a model drug is loaded on GOIOF and GOIOI.
• Cell viability using MCF-7 cells is performed using anastrozole loaded GOIO.

The present work reports a simple one step synthesis of nanoscale graphene oxide magnetic composites (GO–IO) using ferrofluid (GO–IOF). The obtained GO–IO were compared with GO–IO obtained from in situ (GO–IOI) methods. Anastrozole (ANS) was loaded on the GO–IOI and GO–IOF via simple stirring method to form GO–IOA and GO–IOFA respectively. These GO–IO prepared by two techniques were characterized using spectroscopic techniques and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis. Particle size and potential were measured using Malvern Zetasizer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for studying the surface morphology of GO–IO, and in addition to this elemental analysis was also performed for confirming the presence of iron. The cell viability assay was carried out using the MCF-7 cell line. It revealed that GO–IOFA had reasonably high cytotoxicity (49.7%) compared to GO (13.1%), ANS (16.6), GO–IOI (13%), GO–IOF (13.6) and GO–IOIA (18.34%). Both, GO–IOIA and GO–IOFA showed improved cytotoxicity when compared with pure ANS. GO–IOF were found to exhibit superior magnetic activity due to higher iron content along with smaller particle size and higher loading efficiency compared to GO–IOI. The overall effect suggests that GO–IO can be utilized as efficient carriers for the loading of chemotherapeutic agents.

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