In situ synthesis of piperine-loaded MIL-100 (Fe) in microwave for breast cancer treatment

Piperine (PIP) is a natural alkaloid that has strong activity against breast cancer. However, due to its low solubility and bioavailability, it is unfeasible for clinical applications. Herein, we proposed an in-situ method for PIP encapsulation into the Materials of the Institut Lavoisier (MIL-100 (Fe)) using microwaves technique for fabricating novel drug delivery nanocarriers. The PIP-loaded MIL-100 (Fe) (labeled PIP@MIL-100 (Fe)) exhibited a hydrodynamic diameter of 98 ± 27.83 nm, zeta potential of +7 ± 0.6 mV, and polydispersity index of 0.03 ± 0.006. Morphological analysis of the nanosystems revealed a rhombohedral shape and particle size up to 120 nm. PIP encapsulation efficiency (EE) was found to be 95 ± 3% and PIP loading capacity was 11.02% by weight (0.12 g g−1), according to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data, respectively. Cytotoxicity studies on breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and 4T1) displayed cytotoxicity (IC50) approximately three times higher than that of the free PIP within 48 h. The PIP@MIL-100(Fe) fabrication comprises a simple and cheap method for designing novel drug delivery nanosystems for further clinical assays and breast cancer treatment.