Synthesis of nanoliposomes containing green tea Catechin and doxorubicin to evaluate its toxicity on breast cancer cells

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective and common treatments for cancer. Multi-drug resistance and drug side effects are one of the major obstacles to successful chemotherapy. To address these limitations and achieve better drug efficacy, nanosystem-based combination therapy offers a promising approach. This study aimed to synthesize, characterize, and investigate the synergistic effect of nanoliposomes loaded with doxorubicin and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. In the present study, nanoliposomes were prepared by passive loading and thin-film hydration. The characterization of nanoliposomes such as size distribution, zeta potential, the loading rate, drug release profile, and toxicity were measured. The mean diameter of nanoliposomes was 82.5 nm, their surface charge was -24.2 mV and drug loading was about 80%. The interaction of doxorubicin and EGCG with nanoliposomes was mediated by electrostatic and van der Waals bonds and EGCG has a deceasing effect on the doxorubicin release profile but the observed differences are not significant. The toxicity and viability data indicate that the simultaneous use of these two drugs increased the toxicity of the cells. Nanoliposomes containing doxorubicin were not able to reduce viability to below 50% in monotherapy with 5×10-3 μM. While, the amount of viability dramatically reduced to below 50%, in combination with EGCG, resulting as combination chemotherapy. Consequently, the concomitant administration of EGCG with doxorubicin may be a suitable candidate for chemotherapy.