Green fabricated reduced graphene oxide: evaluation of its application as nano-carrier for pH-sensitive drug delivery

A green and mild approach for the preparation of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was proposed by using riboflavin-5′-phosphate sodium salt dihydrate as a reducing reagent and stabilizer without any other reagent. The fabricated nano-rGO was systematically evaluated for its application as nano-carrier for pH-sensitive drug delivery. The hemolytic toxicity test indicated the as-prepared nano-rGO had negligible hemolytic activity, which demonstrating its safety in drug delivery system. Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as a model drug was successfully attached onto the surface of nano-rGO via strong π–π stacking interaction. Compared with common carriers, the obtained DOX-loaded nano-rGO nanohybrid exhibited characteristics of high drug loading content, good stability, pH-sensitive and sustainable release of drugs. Cytotoxicity assay results suggested such nanohybrid exhibited effective cytotoxicity to MCF-7 and A549 cells by nonspecific endocytosis mechanism. Therefore, the present green fabricated rGO could be a good candidate as an ideal nano-carrier for drug delivery and controlled release.