Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

• Nahid Asghari ^{1, 2}
• Sepideh Houshmand ³
• Amir Rigi ⁴
• Vahid Mohammadzadeh ^{5, 6}
• Mehrdad Piri Dizaj ⁷
• Zahra Sadat Mousavian Hiagh ⁸

¹ Department of Basic Science, Maragheh University of Medical Science, Maragheh, Iran

² bDepartment of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Science, Islamic Azad University of Urmia Branch, Urmia, Iran

³ Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

⁴ Young Researchers and Elites Club, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan Branch, Zahedan, Iran

⁵ Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

⁶ Nutrition Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

⁷ Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

⁸ Laboratory of Dendrimers and Nano-Biopolymers, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

This study aimed to PEGylated cationic nano-niosomes formulation containing curcumin (CUR) for drug delivery to MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and slow release of encapsulated CUR to reduce drug side effects on other healthy cells and increase drug effect on cancer cells. In this applied/in vitro study, PEGylated cationic nano-niosomes containing curcumin as herbal anticancer drug  in MCF-7 cell line were prepared in laboratory through lipid phase mixing, phosphate buffer addition to a lipid thin film, and the production of nano-niosomes by sonication and dialysis process. Curcumin-containing niosomes were produced using the lipid phase by thin film fabrication method and reduced to a nanometer size by sonication. The average diameter (85.4 nm) of drug-carrying nano-niosomes was determined using a nano-sizer. Our results includes acquisition of technical knowledge of fabricating nano-niosomes containing a herbal bioactive ingredient as a nanosystem with the herbal medicine curcumin, proper loading of curcumin (with anticancer effect) at > 95% inside nano-niosomes with a size of < 100 nm to intensify the effectiveness of this medicine in cancer treatment, and preparation of PEGylated cationic nano-niosomes containing a body-compatible herbal bioactive substance with a slow release curve and good stability in terms of size and surface loading after 2 months of production. The produced curcumin-carrying liposomal nano-carrier has a slow-release curve and body biocompatibility that can be used in preparation of drug delivery systems containing similar hydrophobic drugs as an effective approach in treatment of various cancers, and agriculture, as well as in various pharmaceutical, medical, health, and environmental industries.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

• Curcumin
• breast cancer cell
• bioactive
• nano-niosomes
• PEGylated
• MCF-7 cancer cell
• drug delivery

Main Subjects

• Drugs