Xyloglucan-based hybrid nanocomposite with potential for biomedical applications Aiêrta Cristina Carrá da Silva a , Raimundo Rafael de Almeida b , Alexandre Carreira da Cruz Sousa a,c , Fabián Nicolás Araneda Martínez d , Juliano Casagrande Denardin d , Selene Maia de Morais e , Nágila Maria Pontes Silva Ricardo a, ⁎ a Laboratory of Polymers and Materials Innovation, Department of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Sciences Center, Federal University of Ceará, Campus of Pici, Zip Code 60440-760 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil b Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará, Campus Camocim, Camocim, CE Zip Code 62400-000, Brazil c Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceará, Campus Quixadá, Quixadá, CE, Zip Code 63902-580, Brazil d Department of Physics, University of Santiago and Cedenna, USACH-CEDENNA, Santiago Zip Code 9170124, Chile e Laboratory of Natural Products, Science and Technology Center, Ceará State University, Campus of Itaperi, Zip Code 60714-903 Fortaleza, CE, Brazil abstract article info Article history: Received 24 July 2020 Received in revised form 19 October 2020 Accepted 18 November 2020 Available online xxxx Keywords: Magnetic nanocapsules of xyloglucan Targeted drug delivery Biomedical applications Natural polymer-based hybrid nanocomposites have been proposed as one of the most promising tools for bio- medical applications, including disease treatment and diagnosis procedures. Xyloglucan nanocapsules can simul- taneously load magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and bioactive for a specific tissue, reducing the processes of degradation and metabolic inactivation of molecules with biological activity. In this work, magnetic nanocapsules of xyloglucan loaded with hydrophilic sulfated quercetin (MNXQ_SO 3 ) were successfully synthesized by inverse miniemulsion process through interfacial polymerization. The polymeric shell formation of nanocapsules was ev- idenced by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy. The ferrofluid (Fe 3 O 4 @PAAS) incorporated into the xyloglucan nanocapsules was synthesized by hydrothermal method, using polyacrylic acid sodium salt as coating. Dynamic Light Scattering technique confirmed the nanomeric di- mensions (202.3 nm) and the good colloidal stability (-40.2 mV) of MNXQ_SO 3 . The saturation magnetization analyses pointed out the superparamagnetic behavior of Fe 3 O 4 @PAAS (48 emu/g) and MNXQ_SO 3 (4.2 emu/g). MNXQ_SO 3 was able to modify the release profile of sulfated quercetin (67%) when compared to the free bioac- tive (100%), exhibiting a release profile compatible with the zero-order kinetic model. The results showed that the development of MNXQ_SO 3 presents a new perspective for biomedical applications, including studies of targeted drug delivery. © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Nowadays, many researchers use nanotechnology to try to develop novel nanocarriers that are selective drug delivery systems [1]. The drug encapsulation process promotes the protection of the bioactive from degradation in vivo, which allows its specific targeting to the dis- eased tissue [2]. Additionally, the incorporation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in these drug delivery systems, espe- cially magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), has been an alternative to obtain nanosystems able to be guided by an external magnetic field to specific tissue [3,4]. The literature reports that polyacrylic acid sodium salt (PAAS) cov- ered of magnetite nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 @PAAS) produces an aqueous ferrofluid with superparamagnetic behavior, which can be employed in biomedical applications [5]. The coating improves the dispersion and chemical stability of magnetic nanoparticles, avoids its aggregation and air oxidation, preventing the loss of magnetic properties [6,7]. Currently, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) already ap- proved the use of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) as iron deficiency therapeutics (Feraheme®) and as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (Feridex® and Gastromark®) [6]. Thus, the SPIONs and its asso- ciation between drug delivery systems allows their use in many theranostic applications, including trigger-controlled drug release and magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment [8]. In recent years, the scientific community has dispensed attention in publications about the magnetic loading in polymeric nanocontainers. In this context, there are nanocapsules, which can be based on biocom- patible polymers and emerge as an excellent nanocarrier for the admin- istration of chemotherapeutic drugs [4]. The nanocapsules have a polymeric shell, a hydrophilic or hydrophobic core and can be obtained for many procedures. However, the interfacial polymerization is usually International Journal of Biological Macromolecules xxx (xxxx) xxx ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: naricard@ufc.br (N.M.P.S. Ricardo). BIOMAC-17291; No of Pages 11 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.128 0141-8130/© 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal of Biological Macromolecules journal homepage: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ijbiomac Please cite this article as: A.C.C. da Silva, R.R. de Almeida, A.C. da Cruz Sousa, et al., Xyloglucan-based hybrid nanocomposite with potential for biomedical applications, , https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.128