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Determining the cytotoxicity of methotrexate‐loaded microemulsion on human breast, ovarian, and prostate carcinoma cell lines: a new modality for an old drug
Author(s) -
Karasulu H.Y.,
Kantarcı G.,
Karaca B.,
Armagan V.,
Güneri T.,
Göker E.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.20283
Subject(s) - microemulsion , chemistry , cytotoxicity , methotrexate , prostate , pharmacology , apoptosis , pulmonary surfactant , in vitro , medicine , biochemistry , cancer
Abstract The main objective of this study was to develop an optimal methotrexate (MTX) microemulsion (M‐MTX) and to evaluate the suppressive effect of MTX‐loaded microemulsion on human breast, ovarian, and prostate carcinoma cell lines. The microemulsion was made up of corn‐oil as the oil phase, a mixture of Cremophore EL and Span 80 as surfactants, and isopropyl alcohol as co‐surfactant and 0.1 N NaOH as the aqueous phase. MTX (0.1 mg/mL MTX ) was added into the microemulsion at the last stage. The pH of M‐MTX was adjusted to pH 8±0.1 and the physicochemical stability of the formulation was observed. The particle size distribution was measured by Zetasizer 3000 HSA. The mean droplet diameters of M‐MTX were determined as 13.3±0.1 nm (poly dispersity index=530±0.01). The antitumor effects of M‐MTX were examined on human breast (MCF‐7), ovarian (OVCAR), and prostate (DU 145) carcinoma cell lines. It was clearly demonstrated that M‐MTX had a significant cytotoxic effect on different carcinoma cell lines and the cytotoxic effect of M‐MTX was significantly more than that of commercial preparation (C‐MTX) ( P <0.05). According to the in vitro cytotoxicity studies, it can be concluded that when MTX was incorporated into the microemulsion (M‐MTX), which is a new drug carrier system, it suppresses tumour cell growth on multiple tumor lines. These results indicate that M‐MTX may be effective as an antitumor agent that induces apoptosis. Drug Dev Res 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.