RT Journal Article
T1 A comparison study between doxorubicin and curcumin co-administration and co-loading in a smart niosomal formulation for MCF-7 breast cancer therapy
A1 Saharkhiz, Shaghayegh
A1 Zarepour, Atefeh
A1 Nasri, Negar
A1 Cordani, Marco
A1 Zarrabi, Ali
AB Chemotherapy agents often exhibit limited effectiveness due to their fast elimination from the body and non-targeted delivery. Emerging nanomaterials as drug delivery carriers open new expectancy to overcome these limitations in current chemotherapeutic treatments. In this study, we introduce and evaluate a smart pH-responsive niosomal formulation capable of delivering Doxorubicin (DOX) and Curcumin (CUR) in both individually and co-loaded forms. In particular, drug-loaded niosomes were prepared using thin-film hydration method and then characterized via different physicochemical analyses. The pH responsivity of the carrier was assessed by performing a drug release study in three different pH conditions (4, 6.5, and 7.4). Finally, the anticancer efficacy of the therapeutic compounds was evaluated through the MTT assay. Our results showed spherical particles with a size of about 200 nm and -2 mV surface charge. Encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of the nanocarrier was about 77.06 % and 79.08 % for DOX and CUR, respectively. The release study confirmed the pH responsivity of the carrier. The MTT assay results revealed about 39 % and 43 % of cell deaths after treatment with cur-loaded and dox-loaded niosomes, which increased to 74 % and 79 % after co-administration and co-loading forms of drugs, respectively, exhibiting increased anticancer efficacy by selectively delivering DOX and CUR individually or in combination. Overall, these findings suggest that our nanoformulation holds the potential as a targeted and highly effective approach for cancer management and therapy, overcoming the limitations of conventional chemotherapy drugs.
PB Elsevier
SN 0928-0987
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/88708
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/88708
LA eng
NO Shaghayegh Saharkhiz, Atefeh Zarepour, Negar Nasri, Marco Cordani, Ali Zarrabi, A comparison study between doxorubicin and curcumin co-administration and co-loading in a smart niosomal formulation for MCF-7 breast cancer therapy, European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Volume 191, 2023, 106600, ISSN 0928-0987, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106600.
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España)
NO Universidad Complutense de Madrid
NO European Commission
NO The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye 
DS Docta Complutense
RD 7 abr 2025