Bio-templated synthesis of crystalline nanocellulose/MgO hybrids from Withania somnifera: for selective anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Abstract

This study reports the green synthesis of a high-performance WS-MgO-CNC nanoconjugate using Withania somnifera-derived cellulose nanocrystals (WS-CNC) as a biotemplate. The extracted WS-CNC exhibited high crystallinity (99.92%) and served as a scaffold for the in-situ formation of uniformly distributed MgO nanoparticles (15.43 nm). Structural analyses (XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, TEM) confirmed strong interfacial interactions, with the cellulose matrix inducing lattice defects, enhanced dislocation density, and micro-strain while preserving overall crystallinity (99.88%). Functional group interactions mediated by hydroxyl and carbonyl moieties further stabilized the hybrid system. Biological evaluation demonstrated superior multifunctional activity of the WS-MgO-CNC nanoconjugate, including enhanced antioxidant potential (DPPH: 81%, ABTS: 84%, superoxide: 75%) and significant anti-inflammatory effects via protein stabilization and membrane protection. The nanoconjugate exhibited pronounced selective anticancer activity, reducing viability of HepG2 (4.89%) and PANC-1 (12.78%) cells at 500 μg/mL, with improved selectivity toward cancer cells over normal HEK293 cells. Overall, the WS-MgO-CNC nanoconjugate represents a stable, biocompatible hybrid with promising applications in targeted therapeutics. Further in-vivo studies are required to validate its pharmacokinetics and long-term safety.