Preparation, Optimization and In vitro Evaluation of Doxorubicin-loaded into Hyaluronic Acid Coated Niosomes Against Breast Cancer

Doxorubicin (DOX) is widely used against solid tumors. Niosomes are self-assembled nanocarriers of non-ionic surfactants. DOX loaded into cationic niosomes (DOX-Nio) was prepared via thin film hydration method. DOX-Nio was then decorated with a hyaluronic acid (DOX-HA-Nio) via electrostatic interaction. DOX-Nio and DOX-HA-Nio displayed a particle size of 120.0 +/- 1.02 and 182.9 +/- 2.3 nm, and charge of + 35.5 +/- 0.15 and -15.6 +/- 0.25 mV, respectively, with PDI < 0.3. DOX-HA-Nio showed a good stability regarding size and charge over 4 weeks at 4 degrees C and maintain their integrity after lyophilization. HPLC results showed a 94.1 +/- 4.2 % encapsulation efficiency of DOX with good entrapment and slow, prolonged DOX release even after 48 hrs. Cell viability assay showed an IC50 of 14.26 nM for the DOX-HA-Nio against MCF-7 cell line with micromolar IC50 results against CD-44 negative cell lines (NIH/3T3). DOX-HA-Nio was proven to be an effective, targeted nanocarrier for DOX against MCF-7 cell line.