ABSTRACT Drug‐resistant bacteria and cancer remain major challenges in healthcare, highlighting the need for multifunctional nanomaterials. In this study, folic acid‐ and Pluronic F127‐modified nickel oxide nanocomposites (NiO–PF127–FA) were synthesized via a one‐pot method, and their in vitro antibacterial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties were evaluated. XRD analysis showed a crystallite size of 19.42 nm for NiO–PF127–FA, while PL spectra exhibited a green emission peak at 507 nm, indicative of structural defects in the NiO lattice. NiO–PF127–FA displayed enhanced antibacterial activity against MRSA and Candida albicans compared to bare NiO, as evidenced by larger inhibition zones and lower MIC and MBC values. The DPPH assay demonstrated improved radical scavenging activity of the modified nanocomposites, likely related to their smaller size, higher surface area, and surface defect‐mediated electron transfer. In vitro anticancer studies using rat C6 glioblastoma cells revealed dose‐dependent decreases in cell viability, with IC50 values of 12.3 μg/mL for NiO and 9.6 μg/mL for NiO–PF127–FA. Fluorescence staining with AO/EB and DAPI indicated morphological changes in nuclei and alterations in MMP, consistent with induction of cell death. Overall, these findings suggest that NiO–PF127–FA nanocomposites exhibit improved in vitro biological activity, providing a foundation for further preclinical investigations of their potential biomedical applications.
Gadallah et al. (2026) studied this question.