The latest advances of cisplatin liposomal formulations: essentials for preparation and analysis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cisplatin has been indicated for several malignancies all over the world for many years. Increasing patient tolerance for high dose of chemotherapeutics and reducing side effects has been granted by drug encapsulated liposomal systems. There have been much efforts for improving cisplatin delivery to the site of action via liposomes both in research and clinical trials such as SPI-077®, Liplacis®, and Lipoplatin®.

Areas covered: In this review, we have discussed about cisplatin and its liposomal formulations, focusing on different preparation methods and analysis approaches such as atomic absorption, mass spectroscopy, UV, electrochemical methods, and emphasizing on HPLC as one of the accurate and specific methods for determination of cisplatin species and also measurement of total platinum by derivation.

Expert opinion: Liposome of cisplatin has offered potential beneficial aspects over cisplatin formulation. However, there are several challenges in preparing and analysis of cisplatin liposomes due to cisplatin’s great reactivity, formation of several species, high affinity to bioelements, insufficient release at the tumor site, and inefficient loading. Cisplatin resistance is another challenge which should be prevented by higher loading capacity. Charge-dependent interactions should also be highly considered especially in the preparation step.

KEYWORDS:

• Analysis
• cisplatin
• derivation
• HPLC
• liposome
• preparation methods

Article Highlights

• Cisplatin liposome has to meet a balance between tumor availability and its residence in the circulation.

• Cisplatin analysis by HPLC especially in biologic samples is challenging due to formation of different species and its high reactivity.

• Derivation by specific agents can serve a simpler and validated method for indirect analysis of cisplatin.

• Cisplatin liposome preparation methods should grant formulation with optimized drug/lipid ratio and encapsulation efficiency.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of Interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by the Research Vice-Chancellor of Tabriz, University of Medical Sciences. This article was written as a part of Ph.D. thesis (No. 136) registered at Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran.