Boron Nitride Nanotubes for Curcumin Delivery as an Anticancer Drug: A DFT Investigation

Proximity-induced FRET and charge-transfer between quantum dots and curcumin enable reversible thermochromic hybrid polymeric films

This study introduces a novel strategy for developing reversible thermochromic fluorescent films by precisely controlling the nanoscale proximity of boron nitride quantum dots and curcumin molecules within a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) matrix. The synergistic interaction and Förster resonance energy transfer between these fluorophores result in an energy transfer efficiency of ∼94%. This approach enables tunable color changes in response to temperature variations, governed by the segmental mobility of polymer chains. Practical applications of these films as temperature sensors for water bottles and electronic devices are demonstrated, highlighting their potential in temperature monitoring, smart packaging, and thermal management systems.

BeO nanotube as a promising material for anticancer drugs delivery system

In this research, the application of BeO nanotube (BeONT) as a nanocarrier for Fluorouracil (5-FU) anticancer drug has been studied by density functional theory (DFT) approach. The method ωB97XD with 6-31 G** basis set were employed. A precise surface study, shows that there are two directions for 5-FU adsorption that did not deliver any of the imaginary frequency vibrational spectra, identifying that all relaxation structures are at the lowest energy level. Based on our calculations, the energy of adsorption for 5FU@BeONT structures are range -120 to -168 kJ/mol, in the gas phase and -395 to 4-00 kJ/mol in the aqueous phase. The highest and the lowest values of adsorption energy are both in strong physical adsorption. Due to receiving an electronic charge from 5-FU, BeONT exhibited a p-type semiconducting feature for all positions. In addition, based on natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis, the direction of charge transfer was from fluorine's σ orbitals of the drug to n* orbitals (O and Be atoms) of BeONT with a considerable amount of transferred energy. BeONT can be employed as a potential strong carrier for 5-FU drugs for practical purposes based on our findings.

A dispersion-corrected DFT calculation on encapsulation of favipiravir drug used as antiviral against COVID-19 into carbon-, boron-, and aluminum-nitride nanotubes for optimal drug delivery systems combined with molecular docking simulations

Favipiravir (FAV) (6-fluoro-3-oxo-3,4-dihydropyrazine-2-carboxamide) is one of the most effective antiviral drugs which is cited for action against RNA-viral infections of COVID-19. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to investigate three nanotubes (NTs) with FAV drug as delivery systems. The encapsulated systems (ESs) consist of FAV drug inside carbon-carbon, aluminum nitride, and boron nitride. At B3LYP-D/6-31G(d,p) and CPCM/B3LYP-D/6-31G(d,p), the optimization of NTs, FAV, and its tautomeric forms and six ESs was investigated in gas and water environments. Five tautomeric forms of FAV were investigated, two keto forms (K1 and K2) and three enol forms (E1, E2, and E3). The results revealed that E3 and K2 isomeric forms represented the most stable structures in both media; thus, these two forms were encapsulated into the NTs. The stability and the synthesis feasibility of NTs have been proven by calculating their interaction energies. Non-covalent interactions (NCIs) were investigated in the ESs to show the type of NCI with the molecular voids. The binding energies, thermochemical parameters, and recovery times were investigated to understand the mechanism of FAV encapsulation and release. The encapsulated AlNNT systems are more favorable than those of BNNTs and CNTs in gas and aqueous environments with much higher binding energies. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and recovery time analysis revealed the easier releasing of E3 from AlNNT over K2 form. Based on molecular docking simulations, we found that E3 and K2 FAV forms showed a high level of resistance to SARS-CoV-6M3M/6LU7/6W9C proteases.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11224-023-02182-4.

Transition Metal-Decorated Mg12O12 Nanoclusters as Biosensors and Efficient Drug Carriers for the Metformin Anticancer Drug

Drug carriers have been designed and investigated remarkably due to their effective use in the modern medication process. In this study, the decoration of the Mg₁₂O₁₂ nanocluster has been done with transition metals (Ni and Zn) for effective adsorption of metformin (anticancer drug). Decoration of Ni and Zn on a nanocluster allows two geometries, and similarly, the adsorption of metformin also provides two geometries. Density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory have been employed at the B3LYP with 6-311G(d,p) level. The decoration of Ni and Zn offers good attachment and detachment of the drug, which is observed from their good adsorption energy values. Further, the reduction in the energy band gap is noted in the metformin-adsorbed nanocluster, which allows high charge transfer from a lower energy level to a high energy level. The drug carrier systems show an efficient working mechanism in a water solvent with the visible-light absorption range. Natural bonding orbital and dipole moment values suggested that the adsorption of the metformin causes charge separation in these systems. Moreover, low values of chemical softness with a high electrophilic index recommended that these systems are naturally stable with the least reactivity. Thus, we offer novel kinds of Ni- and Zn-decorated Mg₁₂O₁₂ nanoclusters as efficient carriers for metformin and also recommend them to experimentalists for the future development of drug carriers.

Density Functional Theory-Based Studies Predict Carbon Nanotubes as Effective Mycolactone Inhibitors

Fullerenes, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have all been extensively explored for biomedical purposes. This work describes the use of BNNTs and CNTs as mycolactone inhibitors. Density functional theory (DFT) has been used to investigate the chemical properties and interaction mechanisms of mycolactone with armchair BNNTs (5,5) and armchair CNTs (5,5). By examining the optimized structure and interaction energy, the intermolecular interactions between mycolactone and nanotubes were investigated. The findings indicate that mycolactone can be physically adsorbed on armchair CNTs in a stable condition, implying that armchair CNTs can be potential inhibitors of mycolactone. According to DOS plots and HOMO–LUMO orbital studies, the electronic characteristics of pure CNTs are not modified following mycolactone adsorption on the nanotubes. Because of mycolactone’s large π-π interactions with CNTs, the estimated interaction energies indicate that mycolactone adsorption on CNTs is preferable to that on BNNTs. CNTs can be explored as potentially excellent inhibitors of mycolactone toxins in biological systems.

The Exchange-Correlation Effects on the Electronic Bands of Hybrid Armchair Single-Walled Carbon Boron Nitride Nanostructure

This study investigates the effect of exchange-correlation on the electronic properties of hybridized hetero-structured nanomaterials, called single-walled carbon boron nitride nanotubes (SWCBNNT). A first principles (ab initio) method implemented in Quantum ESPRESSO codes, together with different parametrizations (local density approximation (LDA) formulated by Perdew Zunga (PZ) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) proposed by Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE) and Perdew–Wang 91 (PW91)), were used in this study. It has been observed that the disappearance of interface states in the band gap was due to the discontinuity of the π–π bonds in some segments of SWCNT, which resulted in the asymmetric distribution in the two segments. This work has successfully created a band gap in SWCBNNT, where the PBE exchange-correlation functional provides a well-agreed band gap value of 1.8713 eV. Effects of orbitals on electronic properties have also been studied elaborately. It has been identified that the Py orbital gives the largest contribution to the electrical properties of our new hybrid SWCBNNT nanostructures. This study may open a new avenue for tailoring bandgap in the hybrid heterostructured nanomaterials towards practical applications with next-generation optoelectronic devices, especially in LED nanoscience and nanotechnology.