Formulation and Evaluation of Vesicular Systems of a Nutraceutical Drug for Targeting and Treatment of Skin Cancer

Abstract

Skin carcinogenesis is one of the most common malignancies affecting humans worldwide, therefore it has become of major interest in clinical practice in the past few years. Most of the chemotherapeutic agents that are currently available for cancer management are very expensive and are highly toxic to normal tissues causing unpleasant side effects. Therefore, seeking alternative therapies using safe chemical compounds such as nutraceuticals became essential, in order to overcome the limitations of chemotherapeutic agents. The topical treatment of skin cancer is another interesting alternative that offers several advantages; being noninvasive, tissue-sparing and self-administered, which makes it highly desirable treatment option in patients who are not good surgical candidates. In addition, the direct delivery of topical anticancer agents into skin strata reduces the adverse effects of the used drugs and promotes drug targeting and therapeutic benefits. EGCG is a promising nutraceutical extracted from green tea that is known for the prevention and treatment of cancer. The biological functions of EGCG are mainly attributed to its strong antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its application is limited because of its chemical instability and low bioavailability. Therefore, several trials have been attempted to maximize its therapeutic potential by incorporating it in suitable delivery systems, in order to overcome the limitations encountered with the delivery of EGCG as such. Nanoparticles (NPs) are submicron-sized type of colloidal drug delivery systems that have proven to be beneficial in improving the bioavailability of poorly absorbed drugs. These systems were successfully used as carriers to target the drug