Bombesin conjugated solid lipid nanoparticles for improved delivery of epigallocatechin gallate for breast cancer treatment.

Epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG) is a potent anti-cancer therapeutic which effectively controls the growth of cancerous cells through a variety of different pathways. However, its molecular structure is susceptible to modifications due to cellular enzymes affecting its stability, bioavailability and hence, overall efficiency. In this study, we have initially encapsulated EGCG in the matrix of solid lipid nanoparticles to provide a stable drug carrier. To confer additional specificity towards gastrin releasing peptide receptors (GRPR) overexpressed in breast cancer, EGCG loaded nanoparticles were conjugated with a GRPR-specific peptide. In-vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that the peptide-conjugated formulations possessed greater cytotoxicity to cancer cell lines compared to the non-conjugated formulations. Further, in-vivo studies performed on C57/BL6 mice showed greater survivability and reduction in tumour volume in mice treated with peptide-conjugated formulation as compared to the mice treated with non-conjugated formulation or with plain EGCG. These results warrant the potential of the system designed in this study as a novel and effective drug delivery system in breast cancer therapy.

Design of multifunctional peptide collaborated and docetaxel loaded lipid nanoparticles for antiglioma therapy.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most encountered gliomas of the central nervous system. The chemotherapeutic drugs used in the treatment of GBM suffer from poor blood brain barrier penetration, severe systemic toxicities and lack of specificity towards tumor cells. There is an urgent need to explore novel drug delivery systems specifically designed for targeting GBM. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) are biocompatible vehicle with less toxicity issues compared to other drug delivery systems and serve the purpose of obviating the limitations posed by existing anti-cancer drugs for GBM. In this study, angiopep-2, a ligand for the lipoprotein receptor related protein 1 (LRP 1) receptor over expressed in endothelial cells of both brain and glioma, was grafted on the surface of solid lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of docetaxel. The peptide grafted nanoparticles (A-SLN) showed increased cytotoxicity, enhanced cellular internalization and prominent apoptosis than that of unconjugated nanoparticles against U87MG human glioblastoma and GL261 mouse glioma cells. A significant dual targeting effect of A-SLN (p < 0.0001) was confirmed in in-vivo studies by real time fluorescence imaging studies in glioblastoma induced C57BL/6 mice model. Pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution studies showed selective targeting with higher accumulation of A-SLN in brain compared to Taxtotere, a marketed formulation of docetaxel. After treatment with A-SLN, the mean animal survival time of the animals was significantly enhanced to 39 days from 24 days of plain docetaxel. Collectively, this study indicated that solid lipid nanoparticles decorated with angiopep-2 can be an excellent option as targeted drug delivery system for antiglioma therapy.

Polydatin alleviates alcohol-induced acute liver injury in mice: Relevance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and hepatic antioxidants.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol, a most commonly consumed beverage, is the foremost cause of liver injury throughout the world. Polydatin, a stilbenoid glucoside, was known to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and is being investigated for use in various disorders. PURPOSE: The present study was intended at investigating the hepatoprotective efficacy of polydatin against acute-alcohol induced liver injury model in mice. STUDY DESIGN: C57BL/6 mice were fed with five doses of 50% ethyl alcohol (10ml/kg body weight) to induce acute liver injury. Effect of polydatin against alcohol induced hepatic injury was investigated by giving 50 or 100mg/kg polydatin, orally, for 8 days. METHODS: Serum markers of liver injury, morphology, histology and fibrosis of liver tissue, levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and the mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activities in liver tissue were investigated. The activities and the protein expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and -9), the expression of NF-κB in the liver tissue were also studied. RESULTS: Polydatin pre-treatment significantly alleviated the alcohol induced hepatic injury by reducing the serum liver injury markers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), attenuating oxidative stress and restoring antioxidant balance in the hepatic tissue. Simultaneously, polydatin pre-treatment also prevented alcohol induced mitochondrial damage and refurbished the matrix metalloproteinases levels of the hepatic tissue. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study suggest that polydatin may have a potential benefit in preventing alcohol-induced acute hepatic injury.

Enhanced oral bioavailability and anticancer efficacy of fisetin by encapsulating as inclusion complex with HPßCD in polymeric nanoparticles.

Fisetin (FST), a potent anticancer phytoconstituent, exhibits poor aqueous solubility and hence poor bioavailability. The aim of the present study is to improve the oral bioavailability of FST by encapsulating into PLGA NPs (poly-lactide-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles) as a complex of HPßCD (hydroxyl propyl beta cyclodextrin) and to assess its anti-cancer activity against breast cancer cells. FST-HPßCD inclusion complex (FHIC) was prepared and the supramolecular complex formation was characterized by FTIR, DSC, PXRD and 1H NMR. FHIC encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles (FHIC-PNP) were prepared and were studied for in vitro anticancer activity, cellular uptake, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species generation in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Comparative bioavailability of FST was determined after oral administration in C57BL6 mice as pure FST and FHIC-PNP. The results revealed that FHIC-PNP not only enhanced the anti-cancer activity and apoptosis of FST against MCF-7 cells but also improved its oral bioavailability, as demonstrated by increased peak plasma concentration and total drug absorbed.

Encapsulation of biophenolic phytochemical EGCG within lipid nanoparticles enhances its stability and cytotoxicity against cancer.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenolic catechin, has been known to possess a variety of beneficial biological activities. The in-vitro anti-cancer activity of EGCG is well documented. However, the use of EGCG in modern therapeutics is limited due to its poor bioavailability and limited stability at physiological pH. In this study, we have investigated the stability profiles of EGCG in aqueous solutions using UV-vis spectroscopy. Stability results showed very low stability profile of EGCG at physiological pH with rapid degradation under alkaline conditions. Therefore, we have encapsulated EGCG in solid lipid nanoparticles to increase its stability and evaluated for anticancer activity. The lipid core of nanoparticles not only provides an additional structural reinforcement to the nanoparticle assembly, but also makes it biologically compatible, thereby enabling a stealth vehicle for efficient drug delivery. EGCG loaded nanoparticles (EGCG-SLN) were characterized using dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. EGCG and EGCG-SLN were evaluated for their anticancer activities by cellular proliferation. The cytotoxicity of EGCG-SLN was found to be 8.1 times higher against MDA-MB 231 human breast cancer cells and 3.8 times higher against DU-145 human prostate cancer cells than that of the pure EGCG.