Synthesis and characterization of safranal@MIL-88B(Fe) nanostructures and their preliminary anticancer and antibacterial characteristics

Abstract

Applications of metal–organic framework (MOF) nanostructures in biomedicine have rapidly expanded over the past decade. MOFs are characterized by their high functionality, surface area, and porosity, providing an ideal platform for several biomedical applications. This study explores the potential of a novel therapeutic approach for liver cancer, incorporating Safranal, a bioactive molecule derived from saffron, within the iron-based metal–organic framework (MOF), MIL-88B(Fe). The successfully loaded Safranal-MIL-88B(Fe) composite nanostructure was comprehensively characterized and tested for its effectiveness against HepG2 liver cancer cells. Furthermore, we investigated its antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Lactobacillus strains. The proposed mechanism of action of the Safranal-MIL-88B(Fe) nanostructures potentially shows the effect of the release of the ferric ions and Safranal in vitro against HepG2 cancer cells and both bacterial strains. Our findings show significant promise for Safranal-loaded MIL-88B(Fe) as a dual-purpose therapeutic agent, opening exciting avenues for future biomedical applications.