Thymoquinone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier exhibited cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and SiHa)

• Main Authors: Wei, Keat Ng, Saiful Yazan, Latifah, Li, Hua Yap, Wan Abd Ghani, Wan Nor Hafiza, Chee, Wun How, Abdullah, Rasedee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2015
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46734/1/Thymoquinone-loaded%20nanostructured%20lipid%20carrier%20exhibited%20cytotoxicity%20towards%20breast%20cancer%20cell%20lines%20%28MDA-MB-231%20and%20MCF-7%29%20and%20cervical%20cancer%20cell%20lines%20%28HeLa%20and%20SiHa%29.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46734/
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Thymoquinone (TQ) has been shown to exhibit antitumor properties. Thymoquinone-loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (TQ-NLC) was developed to improve the bioavailability and cytotoxicity of TQ. This study was conducted to determine the cytotoxic effects of TQ-NLC on breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7) and cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa and SiHa). TQ-NLC was prepared by applying the hot high pressure homogenization technique. The mean particle size of TQ-NLC was 35.66 ± 0.1235 nm with a narrow polydispersity index (PDI) lower than 0.25. The zeta potential of TQ-NLC was greater than −30 mV. Polysorbate 80 helps to increase the stability of TQ-NLC. Differential scanning calorimetry showed that TQ-NLC has a melting point of 56.73°C, which is lower than that of the bulk material. The encapsulation efficiency of TQ in TQ-NLC was 97.63 ± 0.1798% as determined by HPLC analysis. TQ-NLC exhibited antiproliferative activity towards all the cell lines in a dose-dependent manner which was most cytotoxic towards MDA-MB-231 cells. Cell shrinkage was noted following treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with TQ-NLC with an increase of apoptotic cell population (P < 0.05). TQ-NLC also induced cell cycle arrest. TQ-NLC was most cytotoxic towards MDA-MB-231 cells. It induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in the cells.