title: Formulation and characterization of nanoliposomal 5-fluorouracil for cancer nanotherapy.
abstract: A scalable and safe method was developed to prepare nanoliposome carriers for the entrapment and delivery of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The carrier systems were composed of endogenously occurring dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), negatively charged dicetylphosphate (DCP), cholesterol (CHOL) and glycerol (3%, v/v). Nanoliposomes were prepared by the heating method in which no harmful chemical or procedure is involved. Results indicated fast and reproducible formation of non-toxic liposomes that possess high entrapment efficiency (up to 96.9%) and vesicle size range of ca. 530-620 nm. Transmission electron and optical micrographs of the 5-FU liposomes revealed that they were spherical and some were multilayered. There was an increase in the release rate of 5-FU from the liposomes prepared with a high ratio of drug:lipid. The release data showed that the highest release rates were obtained for nanoliposomes containing 5-FU with the drug concentration of 500 mM and that it followed the diffusion model. Nanoliposome preparation method introduced here has the potential of large-scale manufacture of safe and efficient carriers of 5-FU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University , Cairo , Egypt .
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Elmeshad
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mortazavi
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mozafari
mesh_terms: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D050997:Nanomedicine; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010755:Organophosphates / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008081:Liposomes; D010755:Organophosphates; D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; C002290:dicetylphosphate; D002784:Cholesterol; D005990:Glycerol; D005472:Fluorouracil