Functionalized Turmeric Nanovesicles for Precision Delivery of Doxorubicin in Colorectal Carcinoma Treatment

Chen Meng¹xue Yi²Duan Meitao²Ahmed Mahal³Zhiqiang Zhang²Jungang Ren²Ming Chen²Lin Yang¹Moxun Xu¹Ahmad J Obaidullah⁴Shuxian Li^1*Chen Wang^2*

• ¹Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province, China
• ²Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
• ³Cihan University-Erbil, Erbil, Iraq
• ⁴King Saud University, Riyadh, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Nanovesicles have garnered significant attention as biocompatible carriers for targeted drug delivery due to their inherent therapeutic properties and structural versatility.This study introduces a novel bioengineered platform utilizing turmeric-derived nanovesicles (TNVs) functionalized with the tumor-specific peptide and loaded with doxorubicin to enhance colorectal cancer therapy. TNVs were isolated via optimized ultracentrifugation, revealing a uniform saucer-like morphology (162.42 ± 3.67 nm diameter) and stable lipid composition dominated by triglycerides (30%) and ceramides (11.8%). Surface modification with tumor-specific peptide significantly improved cellular internalization in HCT-116 cells, while the TNV-P-D complex demonstrated potent cytotoxicity (IC50 = 54.8 μg/mL), outperforming free DOX (IC50 = 795.2 ng/mL) and non-targeted TNV-DOX (IC50 = 129.7 μg/mL). Flow cytometry analysis revealed G1-phase cell cycle arrest (91.3% cells in G1), corroborating the system's anti-proliferative efficacy. In vivo studies in CT26.WT tumor-bearing mice showed a 65% reduction in tumor volume (p < 0.001) with TNV-P-D, alongside preserved hepatic function and negligible systemic toxicity. These results underscore the potential of peptide-enhanced plant nanovesicles as a dual-action platform for targeted chemotherapy and reduced off-target effects in colorectal cancer.