title: Nonionic surfactant based thymoquinone loaded nanoproniosomal formulation: in vitro physicochemical evaluation and in vivo hepatoprotective efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was carried out to formulate thymoquinone proniosomal formulation (TQP) and evaluate their efficacy in methotrexate (Mtx) induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to explore a new therapeutic approach focusing on hepatoprotective activity using thymoquinone proniosomal formulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  TQP was formulated using span60, cholesterol and phospholipid by film hydration technique. The animals were divided into six groups with five animals each receiving different treatments for 7 days. On the 8th day, rats were anesthetized with ether, blood samples were withdrawn, livers were dissected out for biochemical tests and histopathological examinations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The size of vesicle was found to be in the nanometric range with higher entrapment efficiency. The high entrapment efficiency is probably due to the lipophilic character of TQ. The morphological structure showed the outline and core of the well-identified spherical vesicle, and also displaying the retention of sealed vesicular structure. The release of TQ from developed formulation was found to be significantly higher compared to control. Mtx treated rats showed significant elevation in ALT, AST, ALP and TBARs, whereas, TQP treated group showed significant reduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The developed formulation (TQP) significantly inhibited the elevated levels of serum marker enzymes and showed improved histopathological deformities.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Sanowar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sayeed
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pharmaceutics, Glocal School of Pharmacy , The Glocal University , Saharanpur , Uttar Pradesh , India.
authors.forename: Syed Sarim
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Imam
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Abul Kalam
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Najmi
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6797-3104
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aqil
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy , Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) , New Delhi , India.
authors.forename: Mohd
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akhtar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; D008081:Liposomes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C003466:thymoquinone; D008727:Methotrexate
keywords: Thymoquinone; hepatotoxicity; methotrexate; oxidative stress; proniosomes