Processing of liposome-encapsulated natural herbs derived from Silybum marianum plants for the treatment of breast cancer cells

It has been long known that Silibinin, a naturally derived herbal phytochemical, is an effective drug for the treatment of toxic thyroid damage; however, its role in cancer treatment is still not approved and is under investigation. Besides, due to the poor water solubility and bioavailability of Silibinin and the side effects that drug payloads cause, its delivery to the point of care with a controlled release rate is challenging. In this work, we propose a protocol to prepare liposome-encapsulated Silibinin (LES) with the ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Spherical-shaped LES nanoparticles with an average size of 60 nm and narrow size distribution (PDI=0.11) were synthesized by the thin film hydration method. Studies of the pharmacokinetics showed that a burst release occurred during the first 12 h that was followed by a sustained release over the next 12 days. MTT assays and the analysis of the drug effect determined that LES nanoparticles displayed a significant cytotoxic effect to kill breast cancer cells. IC50 values for LES nanoparticles were experimentally determined to be 20 μМ which was significantly lower than that of the pristine drug (38 μМ).....