Exploring the anticancer potential of caffeic acid nanoemulsion: ROS induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells

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Caffeic acid, a prevalent phytoconstituent in plants, serves as a potent bioactive compound recognized for its robust antioxidant and anticancer properties. It is classified as a hydroxycinnamic acid and is renowned for its role in mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation. This attribute makes it an invaluable component in both natural remedies and biomedical research. This study presents an approach focused on the development and assessment of a caffeic acid loaded nanoemulsion (CALN), targeting its potential application in combating human colorectal cancer. The nanoformulation was achieved through an aqueous titration method, with Sefsol 218 (12% v/v) as the oil phase, Triton X100 as the surfactant, and propylene glycol as the co-surfactant (Smix; 2:1; 28% v/v). The aqueous phase comprised 60% v/v distilled water. Optimized nanoemulsion was rigorously evaluated using various parameters, including viscosity, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, % transmittance, and refractive index. Notably, formulation E8 exhibited remarkable attributes, displaying a substantial drug release rate of 98.81% in 24 h, accompanied by a mean particle size of 40.08 nm, low polydispersity index of 0.17, zeta potential of -17.40 mV, viscosity of 21.40 cps, refractive index of 1.33, and percentage transmittance of 99.47. The stability analysis revealed that the formulated nanoemulsion retained its stability even under stress conditions. In vitro investigations unveiled the potential anticancer effects of the optimized caffeic acid loaded nanoemulsion against HCT 116 colorectal cancer cells. The nanoemulsion induced G2M phase arrest, induced alterations in cellular morphology, escalated ROS production, and demonstrated dosedependent cytotoxicity in HCT 116 cells. These findings collectively highlight the promising role of caffeic acid loaded nanoemulsion as a potent oral delivery system for colorectal cancer.