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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Pharmacology of Anti-Cancer Drugs
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1486742

Bufonis venenum extract loaded novel cholesterol-free liposome for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Provisionally accepted
Siqi Yang Siqi Yang Zhe Li Zhe Li Jinshuai Lan Jinshuai Lan Ming Li Ming Li Ya Wu Ya Wu Liyan Sun Liyan Sun Yue Ding Yue Ding Tong Zhang Tong Zhang *
  • Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: This study aims to improve the solubility and the toxicity of Bufonis venenum, and finally enhance the therapeutic outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The cholesterol-free liposomes simultaneously encapsulate bufadienolides and indolealkylamines (Non-Cholesterol-Bufonis Venenum Extract-Liposome, Non-Chol-BVE-LP) was prepared by the thin-film evaporation technique. In vitro, the cytotoxicity, cell apoptosis study, cellular uptake and hemolysis studies were evaluated in HepG2 cells. In vivo, the biodistribution and anti-tumor activity studies were conducted in BALB/C mice with HepG2 cells. Results: The liposome showed good size distribution, encapsulation efficiency drug loading capacity and slower drug release. Non-Chol-BVE-LP had higher cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells and induced more apoptosis on HepG2 cell compared with BVE. In addition, the liposomes could accumulate in tumor by passive targeting, thus facilitating the anti-tumor effects. In vivo, Non-Chol-BVE-LP showed equivalent anti-tumor efficacy to the first-line anti-HCC drug sorafenib. Conclusions: The study provided new ideas for the development and clinical application of Bufonis venenum related formulation and offered new drug for the treatment of HCC.

    Keywords: Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Bufonis venenum, Liposomes, cell apoptosis, Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Received: 26 Aug 2024; Accepted: 11 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yang, Li, Lan, Li, Wu, Sun, Ding and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Tong Zhang, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.