Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Niosome System Containing Adiantum Capillus-Veneris for Breast Cancer Therapy

Background: Due to the increase in cancer and side effects of common therapies, researchers are looking for treatments with the least side effects, which is why medicinal plants have become so important. Adiantum capillus-veneris L. plant commonly called southern maidenhair fern, and also named as “Pare-siavashan” in medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Iranian Traditional Medicine, contains triterpenoid compounds that have anti-tumor properties. It is a perennial fern with narrow stems and small leaves that grows in hot and humid places. This study aims to make biocompatible nanosystems carrying Adiantum capillus-veneris extract with an appropriate loading rate and to compare the anti-tumor properties of the extract-carrying system with its free state. Materials and Methods: After Extracting by Soxhlet, the resulting extract was loaded in the nano-niosome system by thin-film method and was subjected to physical, chemical, and cellular characterization. Results: The results of this study showed that the loading rate of Adiantum capillus-veneris extract in niosomic formulation is 50.74% and the resulting particles are spherical with a size of 325.7nm and anionic. No chemical interactions were found between niosome and extract and the resulting system was chemically stable. Conclusion: Based on acquired results, the designed system has acceptable anti-cancer properties on MCF7 cell line. It is notable that the cell survival rate was about 19 %.