Growth-Inhibitory Effect of Chitosan-Coated Liposomes Encapsulating Curcumin on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Abstract

Current anticancer drugs exhibit limited efficacy and initiate severe side effects. As such, identifying bioactive anticancer agents that can surpass these limitations is a necessity. One such agent, curcumin, is a polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric, and has been widely investigated for its potential anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects over the last 40 years. However, the poor bioavailability of curcumin, caused by its low absorption, limits its clinical use. In order to solve this issue, in this study, curcumin was encapsulated in chitosan-coated nanoliposomes derived from three natural lecithin sources. Liposomal formulations were all in the nanometric scale (around 120 nm) and negatively charged (around −40 mV). Among the three lecithins, salmon lecithin presented the highest growth-inhibitory effect on MCF-7 cells (two times lower growth than the control group for 12 µM of curcumin and four times lower for 20 µM of curcumin). The soya and rapeseed lecithins showed a similar growth-inhibitory effect on the tumor cells. Moreover, coating nanoliposomes with chitosan enabled a higher loading efficiency of curcumin (88% for coated liposomes compared to 65% for the non-coated liposomes) and a stronger growth-inhibitory effect on MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Engineering Smart Targeting Nanovesicles and Their Combination with Hydrogels for Controlled Drug Delivery

“…This formation is enhanced by electrostatic interactions, such as van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding [ 28 , 29 ]. The liposomal vesicle is made up of an aqueous core encircled by a lipid bilayer and is able to encapsulate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic bioactive molecules [ 30 , 31 ]. Hydrophobic molecules are entrapped in the lipid bilayer with a higher efficiency than the entrapment of hydrophilic molecules in the aqueous core, due to the lower volume of hydration in the liposome core [ 26 ].…”

Properties, Extraction Methods, and Delivery Systems for Curcumin as a Natural Source of Beneficial Health Effects

“…An alternative strategy to control the development of cancer can be the intervention with phytochemicals that have little or no toxicity [ 54 ]—similar to curcumin. As a promising agent that can promote cells protection with apoptotic potential towards several types of cancer cells, curcumin can be used both in cancer prevention and therapy [ 91 , 129 , 130 , 131 ]. Nanotechnology has acquired an important role in the development of advanced drug delivery carriers as a way of providing the targeted drug delivery of curcumin that can accompany chemotherapeutic treatment [ 127 ].…”

Physicochemical Interactions in Nanofunctionalized Alginate/GelMA IPN Hydrogels

“…Nanoliposomes are soft and natural nanoparticles, composed essentially of phospholipids [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. They are negatively charged amphiphilic molecules, organized in a bilayer with hydrophobic tails in the center and polar hydrophilic heads facing the solution [ 26 , 27 ].…”