Improving ruthenium nanoparticle physicochemical properties and chemotherapeutic efficacy by dual-encapsulating with new amphiphilic chitosan and imidazolium ionic liquid

This study introduces new amphiphilic low-molecular-weight chitosan (ALMC) and imidazolium ionic liquid (IIL) as encapsulating agents for in-situ ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) synthesis, resulting in Ru-nanobicomposites (RNBCs: Ru/IIL, RNBC1; Ru-IIL/ALMC, RNBC2) with mean diameters of (2.16–5.19 nm). RNBCs display remarkable collodial stability with high ζ-potential values ((+39.95)–(+48.07) mV) and uniform size distribution with low polydispersity index values (0.23–0.21). In vitro experiments revealed that RNBCs had potent anti-cancer properties, with IC50 values indicating that they were more toxic to HepG2 cells (IC50 = 2.16 ± 0.17–9.12 ± 0.71 μg/ml) than CaCo-2 cells (IC50 = 0.61 ± 0.25–11.05 ± 0.48 μg/ml). Specifically, IIL and ALMC's dual-encapsulated RuNPs (RNBC2) could be a potential anticancer drug. RNBC2 increased intrinsic apoptotic markers P53 and Bax gene expression and inhibited Topo II, damaging liver cancer cells. These findings show that RuNPs' encapsulating materials affect their interactions with cancer cells and enhance their anticancer capabilities.