Selective endocytic uptake of targeted liposomes occurs within a narrow range of liposome diameter

The Antitumour Activity of a Curcumin and Piperine Loaded iRGD-Modified Liposome: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers around the world, with a high mortality rate. Despite substantial advancements in diagnoses and therapies, the outlook and survival of patients with lung cancer remains dismal due to drug tolerance and malignant reactions. New interventional treatments urgently need to be explored if natural compounds are to be used to reduce toxicity and adverse effects to meet the needs of lung cancer clinical treatment. An internalizing arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (iRGD) modified by a tumour-piercing peptide liposome (iRGD-LP-CUR-PIP) was developed via co-delivery of curcumin (CUR) and piperine (PIP). Its antitumour efficacy was evaluated and validated via in vivo and in vitro experiments. iRGD-LP-CUR-PIP enhanced tumour targeting and cellular internalisation effectively. In vitro, iRGD-LP-CUR-PIP exhibited enhanced cellular uptake, suppression of tumour cell multiplication and invasion and energy-independent cellular uptake. In vivo, iRGD-LP-CUR-PIP showed high antitumour efficacy, mainly in terms of significant tumour volume reduction and increased weight and spleen index. Data showed that iRGD peptide has active tumour targeting and it significantly improves the penetration and cellular internalisation of tumours in the liposomal system. The use of CUR in combination with PIP can exert synergistic antitumour activity. This study provides a targeted therapeutic system based on natural components to improve antitumour efficacy in lung cancer.

Antioxidant Activity of Quercetin-Containing Liposomes-in-Gel and Its Effect on Prevention and Treatment of Cutaneous Eczema

Cutaneous eczema is a kind of skin disease is characterized by inflammation. The main manifestations are various types of dermatitis, eczema, and urticaria. There are usually complications such as erythema, blisters, and epidermal peeling. The quercetin might have a therapeutic effect on cutaneous eczema due to its favorable antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory effects. Currently, there are few studies on transdermal administration of antioxidant drugs for the treatment of cutaneous eczema. The aim of this study was to prepare quercetin-containing liposomes-in-gel (QU-LG), its antioxidant properties were evaluated, and it was used in the skin of mice suffering from dermal eczema to see if it had preventive and therapeutic effects in an attempt to make it a new option for the treatment of cutaneous eczema. QU-LG was prepared by the injection method to form the quercetin-containing liposomes (QU-L) and evenly dispersed in the natural dissolution of carboxymethylcellulose sodium (1%, CMC-Na). The release of QU-LG across the dialysis membranes was up to 30% and clearance of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) was 65.16 ± 3.513%. In anti-oxidation assay QU-LG inhibited malondialdehyde (MDA) production in liver better than the commercially available drug dexamethasone acetate cream. Compared with untreated mice, mice treated with QU-LG showed a statistically significant reduction in dermatopathologic symptoms. The results suggested that QU-LG had good antioxidant activity in vivo and in vitro and could be used for the prevention and treatment of cutaneous eczema.