Eggshell-derived calcium oxide nanoparticles as promising anti-cancer agent: synthesis, characterization and in-vitro evaluation

Eggshells from chickens are an excellent source of trace minerals and calcium, mostly in the form of calcium carbonate. They serve as a precursor for producing calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles known for their unique physicochemical properties. These CaO nanoparticles have gained attention for potential anti-cancer applications, including lung, skin, and colon cancer. In this study, we synthesized CaO nanoparticles using a conventional iterative calcination process at elevated temperatures, utilizing discarded eggshells from poultry production. We thoroughly evaluated the formation of CaO nanoparticles by detailed characterization using analytical techniques like FTIR, UV-Vis Spectroscopy, SEM-EDX and XRD analysis and their functional properties, comparing them to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-Fluorouracil, using MTT assay with B16F10 and A431 cancer cells as a model for skin and lung cancer research respectively. Additionally, we assessed the toxicity of CaO nanoparticles on non-malignant NRK52E cell line alongside 5-Fluorouracil. Our findings demonstrated noteworthy outcomes: at 100 µg/ml, CaO NP had an IC50 value of 87 and 76 for skin cancer and lung cancer respectively, in contrast to 5-Fluorouracil's IC50 value of 38 and 60 respectively, under comparable circumstances. Further, the CaO nanoparticles were found to be safe for normal cell lines when investigated by cell viability assay in NRK52E cell line. These findings highlight the potential of calcium oxide nanoparticles in cancer suppression, particularly for skin and lung malignancies, and their potential in innovative anti-cancer formulations in oncology.