Design and evaluation of sustained-release lipid-PLGA hybrid nanoparticles for enhanced anticancer efficacy of 5-fluorouracil

• Published in: Particulate science and technology Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 269 - 287
• Main Authors: Khan, Safiullah, Madni, Asadullah, Aamir, Muhammad Naeem, Khan, Shahzeb, Ahmad, Fiaz-ud-Din, Basit, Abdul, Jan, Nasrullah, Shah, Hassan, Shafiq, Afifa, Anwar, Maryam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis 17.02.2024; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: 5-Fluorouracil; Amorphization; Anticancer properties; Box Behnken; Cancer; Design factors; Effectiveness; Entrapment; factorial design; human colon cancer; lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles; Lipids; Nanoparticles; Polydispersity; polyvinyl alcohol; Sustained release; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 0272-6351; 1548-0046
• DOI: 10.1080/02726351.2023.2230924

The current study focuses on the preparation and optimization of lipid PLGA hybrid nanoparticles of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU-LPHNs) using a three-factor, three-level Box-Behnken design for sustained release and enhanced in-vitro anticancer efficacy. The morphology of the developed 5-FU-LPHNs was spherical and found in the range of 155.7-316.4 nm, entrapment efficiency (80%-92%), polydispersity index (0.11-0.19) and zeta potential (−19.7 mV to −29.4 mV) depicting nano-sized and stable nanoparticles. The XRD and DSC investigations showed the absence of characteristic peaks of 5-fluorouracil in the developed formulations indicating amorphization and successful encapsulation of 5-fluorouracil in the developed LPHNs. The in-vitro release showed a biphasic release pattern with an initial burst release pursued by sustained release up to 72 h. The in-vitro cytotoxicity studies of the developed 5-FU-LPHNs were found more cytotoxic than the free drug solution in HT-29 and HCT116 cancer cell lines. In both cell lines, the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 5-FU-LPHNs were approximately 2.06-fold and 1.83-fold, less than that of the 5-FU solution (p < .05). These results suggest that the developed LPHNs can be used as a potential drug delivery approach for the effective delivery of 5-fluorouracil with enhanced anticancer efficacy to colorectal tumors.