In vitro studies on curcumin-chitosan- Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) cytotoxicity against A549 (Lung cancer cell line) HCT 116 (colorectal cancer cell line) and PANC1 (Pancreatic cancer cell line).

The use of nanoparticles in cancer research has garnered significant interest due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. Among these, carbon nanotubes have shown potential in biomedical applications; however, their hydrophobic nature limits dispersion in aqueous environments. Therefore, surface functionalization is important to improve the dispersibility and biocompatibility of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs). This study aimed to non-covalently functionalize MWCNTs with chitosan, characterize the resulting nanocomposites, and evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of oxidized MWCNTs, curcumin-loaded MWCNTs, and chitosan-functionalized MWCNTs with or without curcumin against lung, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer cell lines. The prepared samples were characterized for crystallinity, particle size, and surface charge using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The resulting curcumin-chitosan-MWCNT formulation demonstrated an entrapment efficiency of 99.1%, a particle size of 850 nm, and a surface area of 52.73 m²/g. The IC₅₀ of curcumin-chitosan-MWCNT was 67 μg/mL for PANC-1 cells, compared to 227.6 μg/mL for fibroblasts, 71.4 μg/mL for HCT116, and 148.6 μg/mL for A549 cells. In conclusion, the combination of curcumin, chitosan, and MWCNT significantly reduced cancer cell viability and demonstrated selective in vitro cytotoxicity, particularly against PANC-1 cells. These findings suggest that the developed formulation may warrant further investigation as a potential nanocomposite platform for anticancer applications . • MWCNTs were non-covalently functionalized with chitosan to improve biocompatibility. • Curcumin was efficiently loaded onto chitosan–MWCNT with an entrapment efficiency of 99.1%. • The nanocomposite exhibited a size of 850 nm and a surface area of 52.73 m²/g. • Curcumin–chitosan–MWCNT showed potent cytotoxicity against A549, HCT116, and PANC-1 cells. • Enhanced anticancer activity indicates potential for pancreatic cancer drug delivery.