Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of α-Mangostin-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticle Gel for Topical Therapy in Skin Cancer

• Published in: Gels 2021-11, Vol.7 (4), p.230
• Main Authors: Md, Shadab, Alhakamy, Nabil A, Neamatallah, Thikryat, Alshehri, Samah, Mujtaba, Md Ali, Riadi, Yassine, Radhakrishnan, Ammu K, Khalilullah, Habibullah, Gupta, Manish, Akhter, Md Habban
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Behnken design; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Design factors; Entrapment; Free radicals; gel; Glycolic acid; Melanoma; MTT assay; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Optimization techniques; Particle size; Particle size distribution; Polylactic acid; polymeric nanoparticle; Polymers; Scavenging; Skin cancer; Surfactants; Texture; Zeta potential; α-Mangostin
• ISSN: 2310-2861; 2310-2861
• DOI: 10.3390/gels7040230

The aim of this study was to prepare and evaluate α-mangostin-loaded polymeric nanoparticle gel (α-MNG-PLGA) formulation to enhance α-mangostin delivery in an epidermal carcinoma. The poly (D, L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were developed using the emulsion-diffusion-evaporation technique with a 3-level 3-factor Box-Behnken design. The NPs were characterized and evaluated for particle size distribution, zeta potential (mV), drug release, and skin permeation. The formulated PLGA NPs were converted into a preformed carbopol gel base and were further evaluated for texture analysis, the cytotoxic effect of PLGA NPs against B16-F10 melanoma cells, and in vitro radical scavenging activity. The nanoscale particles were spherical, consistent, and average in size (168.06 ± 17.02 nm), with an entrapment efficiency (EE) of 84.26 ± 8.23% and a zeta potential of -25.3 ± 7.1 mV. Their drug release percentages in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) at pH 7.4 and pH 6.5 were 87.07 ± 6.95% and 89.50 ± 9.50%, respectively. The release of α-MNG from NPs in vitro demonstrated that the biphasic release system, namely, immediate release in the initial phase, was accompanied by sustained drug release. The texture study of the developed α-MNG-PLGA NPs gel revealed its characteristics, including viscosity, hardness, consistency, and cohesiveness. The drug flux from α-MNG-PLGA NPs gel and α-MNG gel was 79.32 ± 7.91 and 16.88 ± 7.18 µg/cm /h in 24 h, respectively. The confocal study showed that α-MNG-PLGA NPs penetrated up to 230.02 µm deep into the skin layer compared to 15.21 µm by dye solution. MTT assay and radical scavenging potential indicated that α-MNG-PLGA NPs gel had a significant cytotoxic effect and antioxidant effect compared to α-MNG gel ( < 0.05). Thus, using the developed α-MNG-PLGA in treating skin cancer could be a promising approach.