Curcumin (Curcuma longa) and quercetin nanoparticles as antimicrobial and anticancer agents

This study was achieved to evaluate the anticancer and antibacteria activities of curcumin and quercetin  naoparticles. Also, the chemical, minerals content, total phenolic, total flavonoids compounds, and DPPH radical scavenging activity of curcumin were determined. The results indicated that the curcumin contains high amounts of protein and total carbohydrates, in addition to lower levels of ash, crude fiber, and total lipids. The total phenolic and flavonoids and the DPPH radical scavenging activity were estimated at different concentrations of curcumin  extract (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µg/ml)  with different solvents (ethanol, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and water).  The results showed that the ethanol extract had high amounts from total phenolic and flavonoids and the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity followed by ethyl acetate, chloroform, and water.
The effect of the prepared nanoparticles of  curcumin and quercetin extracts were studied as preventive to MCF-7  human cancer breast and as antibacterial for Streptococcus aures, Streptococcus penoenumoia and Bacillus substilis (Gram-positive bacteria), Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimrium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative bacteria). The results showed that the curcumin and quercetin nanoparticles extracts were significantly increased cell cytotoxicity, from the minimum to maximum concentrations ranging from 6.25 to100 μg/ml which inhibit these cells from 3.21 to 87.53% using nanoparticles of curcumin and 40.34 to 73.93% by quercetin. The effect of curcumin and quercetin nanoparticles on gram-positive and negative bacteria showed that the highest inhibition zone in gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria was at 100µg.
From the current results, it could be indicated that the curcumin and quercetin nanoparticles contain high amounts from nutrition factors; polyphenolics compounds, and have antioxidant activity, and DPPH scavenging radicals. In addition, they gave the best results as anticancer and antibacterial agents. Therefore, the bioactive compounds found in these natural compounds can delay MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines.