Biodegradable Polylactide Nanocapsules Containing Quercetin for In Vitro Suppression of Mouse B16F10 and Human Sk-Mel-28 Melanoma Cell Lines
<b>Background:</b> Quercetin is a flavonoid found in various dietary sources. It is a prodrug converted by overexpressed tyrosinase in melanoma into an active o-quinone that suppresses tumour growth. However, injected quercetin is rapidly cleared from the tumour site. <b>Method:<...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Pharmaceuticals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/7/980 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | <b>Background:</b> Quercetin is a flavonoid found in various dietary sources. It is a prodrug converted by overexpressed tyrosinase in melanoma into an active o-quinone that suppresses tumour growth. However, injected quercetin is rapidly cleared from the tumour site. <b>Method:</b> Our study aimed to enhance quercetin’s efficacy through nanoencapsulation using biodegradable nanocapsules, which were tested in both mouse and human melanoma cell lines in 2D and 3D models. <b>Results:</b> Nanoencapsulation achieved sustained release and improved bioavailability. In mouse 2D cultures, quercetin nanocapsules (Q-nanos) reduced cell viability to 28%, compared with 46% for free quercetin (Q-only) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In 3D cultures simulating in vivo conditions, Q-nanos reduced viability to 43%, showing significant anti-melanoma activity, while Q-only resulted in 72% viability (<i>p</i> > 0.05 vs. control). A similar trend was observed in human melanotic melanoma, where both Q-nanos and Q-only were effective compared with the controls, with Q-nanos demonstrating superior tumour inhibition (<i>p</i> < 0.05). <b>Conclusions:</b> These findings show the superior efficacy of nanoencapsulated quercetin over free quercetin. Nanoencapsulation prolonged quercetin’s bioavailability, enhanced tumour regression, and addressed limitations associated with the rapid clearance of free quercetin. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1424-8247 |