Quercetin: Critical Evaluation as an Antileishmanial Agent In Vivo in Hamsters Using Different Vesicular Delivery Modes

• Published in: Journal of drug targeting Vol. 10; no. 8; pp. 573 - 578
• Main Authors: Sarkar, S., Mandal, S., Sinha, J., Mukhopadhyay, S., Das, N., Basu, M.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abington Informa UK Ltd 01.12.2002; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiparasitic agents; Antiprotozoal Agents - administration & dosage; Antiprotozoal Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Capsules; Cricetinae; Experimental Leishmaniasis; General pharmacology; Lactic Acid; Leishmaniasis - drug therapy; Leishmaniasis - psychology; Liposomes; Medical sciences; Membranes, Artificial; Mesocricetus; Microspheres; Nanocapsules; Niosomes; Pharmaceutical technology. Pharmaceutical industry; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Polyglycolic Acid; Polymers; Quercetin; Quercetin - administration & dosage; Quercetin - therapeutic use; Spleen - parasitology; Viscosity; Encapsulation; Particle size; Toxicity; Nanocapsules; Drug carrier; Flavonoid; Niosome; Microspheres; Parasiticid; Kinetoplastida; Delivery system; Protozoa; Nanocapsule; Microsphere; Pharmaceutical technology; Rodentia; Liposome; Parasitosis; Experimental leishmaniasis; Biological activity; Infection; Vertebrata; Chemotherapy; Mammalia; Treatment; Animal; Leishmania; Quercetin; Niosomes; Dosage form; Liposomes; Hamster
• DOI: 10.1080/106118021000072681
• ISSN: 1061-186X

Chemotherapy is still a major challenge for in vivo drug targeting to macrophages. Toxicity remains the major obstacle for the most potent drugs already known in the therapy of leishmaniasis. Thus, new drugs and new delivery systems are sought. By using different vesicular delivery modes e.g. liposomes, niosomes, microspheres and nanoparticles, attempts have been made to deliver an indigenous antileishmanial compound, quercetin, to treat experimental leishmaniasis in the hamster model so as to increase its efficacy as well as to reduce the toxicity. At equivalent quercetin concentration, the nanocapsulated quercetin was found to be the most potent in reducing the parasite burden in the spleen as well as in reducing hepatotoxcity and renaltoxicity compared to free drug or drug in other vesicular forms. An inverse relationship between the efficacy and the size of the vesicles was established. Such a drug vehicle formulation especially in the nanocapsulated form may be considered for clinical trials.