Preparation and Physicochemical Characterization of Poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) Nanoparticles for Controlled Release of EGCG

Chemoprevention, especially through the use of naturally occurring phytochemicals capable of impeding the process of one or more steps of carcinogenesis, is a promising approach for cancer management. Despite promising results in preclinical settings, its applicability to humans has met with limited success largely due to inefficient systemic delivery and bioavailability of chemopreventive agents. The concept of nanochemoprevention technique has been applied in which drug is encapsulated in polymer nanoparticles to enhance bioavailability and action against cancer. Here, we report the encapsulation of green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) in poly-(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) or PLGA nanoparticles and its effectiveness as anti-cancer agents. Drug loaded PLGA nanoparticles were prepared by modified emulsification-solvent evaporation technique. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized to have spherical shape with smooth exterior and an average diameter of 300.8 nm using SEM and DLS techniques, respectively. The in vitro release kinetics of drug from the nanoparticles at physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37C) followed delayed and controlled release of EGCG. The application of these nanoparticles on cancerous K562 cells showed that EGCG loaded nanoparticles exhibited significantly higher cytotoxicity compared to EGCG alone.