Sanaz Borji - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
Mahdi Shahriarinour - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
Najmeh Ranji - Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
Shahab Shariati - Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.
Mohammad Nikpassand - Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESSilibinin, a polyphenolic flavonolignan from Silybum marianum seeds, has anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer activities. This study aimed to design and synthesize a magnetic nanocarrier to deliver silibinin to cancer and bacteria cells.MATERIALS AND METHODSphysicochemical measurement of silibinin functionalized silica-coated Fe۳O۴ nanocomposite were evaluated by FESEM, FT-IR, VSM, and XRD tests. Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were treated with ciprofloxacin (sub-MICs) and a combination of ciprofloxacin with a Fe۳O۴@SP@silibinin. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effects of Fe۳O۴@SP@silibinin on HepG۲ cells were investigated by MTT assay.RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe physicochemical analyses have confirmed the synthesis of the proposed structure for silibinin nanocomposites. Additional measurements have also been taken to determine the particle size and paramagnetic properties. The antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin was increased in combination with Fe۳O۴@SP@silibinin. The expression of porin genes in P. aeruginosa was increased while the expression of biofilm and efflux pump genes was decreased. MTT assay analysis illustrated that Fe۳O۴@SP@silibinin in a dose- and time-dependent manner inhibited HepG۲ cell proliferation and migration.CONCLUSIONIt seems that Fe۳O۴@SP@silibinin can be used in biomedical applications, especially in antimicrobial and cancer therapeutics in the future.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Biofilm, HepG۲, silibinin, magnetic nanoparticles