2,864
Views
13
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Research Article

mPEG-icariin nanoparticles for treating myocardial ischaemia

, , , , , , , , & show all
Pages 799-809 | Received 30 Sep 2018, Accepted 23 Oct 2018, Published online: 06 Mar 2019
 

Abstract

Icariin (ICA), a major active ingredient from Chinese medicine, has unique pharmacological effects on ischaemic heart disease. However, its hydrophobic property limits its administration and leads to poor efficacy. This work aimed to change its hydrophobic property and improve the treatment efficacy. We designed a new nano-drug to increase the ICA delivery. ICA was modified with hydrophilic polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (mPEG) by a succinic anhydride linker to form a polyethylene glycol-icariin (mPEG-ICA) polymer. The structure of this polymer was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The content of ICA in the polymer was 32% as detected by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. mPEG-ICA nanoparticles, of 143.3 nm, were prepared by the dialysis method, and zeta potential was 0.439 mV by dynamic light scattering. The nanoparticles had a spherical shape on transmission electron microscopy. In media with pH 7.4 and 6.8, ICA release from mPEG-ICA nanoparticles after 72 h was about 0.78% and 64.05%, respectively, so the ICA release depended on the release media pH. On MTT and lactate dehydrogenase activity assay, mPEG-ICA nanoparticles could reduce cell damage induced by oxgen-glucose deprivation. Hoechst 33258 staining and TUNEL and AnnexinV-FITC/PI double staining showed that ICA nanoparticles could increase the activity of H9c2 cardiomyocytes under oxgen-glucose deprivation conditions by decreasing apoptosis. ICA modified by hydrophilic mPEG could improve its efficacy.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Qiufang Zhang for funding acquisition and ZQF for editing the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by the Health and Family planning commission of Hunan Province research project(No.B2017073) to XiaojunTao; National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.81303254, 81641140) and Hubei Province health and family planning scientific research project (No.WJ2017M214) to QiufangZhang; Changsha science and Technology Bureau (No. K1303022-31) to Chunlian He.