Synthesis and characterization of folic acid-chitosan nanoparticles loaded with thymoquinone to target ovarian cancer cells

The aim of the present research was to formulate and characterize radioiodinated folic acid-chitosan conjugated thymoquinone nanoparticles (FATQCSNPs) and to increase targeting ability on ovarian cancer cell. The dose of drug-loading into the FATQCSNPs and the amount of folic acid on the FATQCSNPs surface were determined as a 20.0 +/- 1% and 46.0 +/- 0.5%, respectively. Cell viabilities (%) determined on SKOV-3 and Caco-2 cells for 48 h. TQ, TQCS and FATQCS were very cytotoxic with lower IC50 values on both cell lines. At specific-activity-dependent incorporation study, the incorporation efficiencies of I-131-FATQCSNPs was higher than that of I-131-TQ on SKOV3 cell lines.