One pot synthesis of UiO-66-NH2 containing curcumin and cytotoxic evaluation toward liver cancer cells

Curcumin, a potent natural compound known for its health benefits, encounters challenges such as low bioavailability and poor solubility. To overcome these obstacles, incorporating curcumin into metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has emerged as a promising approach. This study explores the in-situ modification of UiO66-NH2 (UiO stands for Universitetet i Oslo) with curcumin, aiming to assess its release and delivery potential. Chemical, structural, morphological, and textural analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of the materials. Nitrogen sorption isotherm, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that curcumin addition led to decrease in surface area (from 829.6 m2/g to 679.92 m2/g) and porosity, as well as alterations in particle size (from 0.162 to 0.068 μm) and shape from octahedral to spherical. The release behavior of curcumin exhibited pH-dependent profiles, with cumulative releases (~20 % at pH 4.8, and 30.56 % at pH 7.4) fitting Kosmeyer-Peppas model. Biological activity assays indicated nontoxicity, suggesting potential for curcumin delivery.