Licochalcone A-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Improve Antischistosomal Activity In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract

Aim: To isolate licochalcone A (LicoA) from licorice, prepare LicoA-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (L-SLNs) and evaluate the L-SLNs in vitro and in vivo against Schistosoma mansoni. Materials & methods: LicoA was obtained by chromatographic fractionation and encapsulated in SLNs by a modified high shear homogenization method. Results: L-SLNs showed high encapsulation efficiency, with satisfactory particle size, polydispersity index and Zeta potential. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that L-SLNs were rounded and homogenously distributed. Toxicity studies revealed that SLNs decreased the hemolytic and cytotoxic properties of LicoA. Treatment with L-SLNs showed in vivo efficacy against S. mansoni. Conclusion: L-SLNs are efficient in reducing worm burden and SLNs may be a promising delivery system for LicoA to treat S. mansoni infections.

Graphical abstract

Keywords::

• licorice
• nanotechnology
• natural products
• Schistosoma mansoni
• schistosomicidal

Author contributions

LM Silva contributed in conceptualization, investigation, formal analysis, writing – original draft. DG Marconato contributed in investigation, formal analysis, writing – original draft. MPN da Silva, NRB Raposo, G de Faria Silva Facchini, GC Macedo and Priscila de Faria Pinto contributed in investigation, formal analysis. FS Teixeira and MC Salvadori contributed in investigation. J de Moraes, F Pittella contributed in conceptualization, investigation, formal analysis, writing – original draft, funding acquisition. AA Da Silva Filho contributed in conceptualization, investigation, formal analysis, writing – original draft, resources, project administration, funding acquisition.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are grateful to FAPEMIG (grant numbers no. PPM 00296/16; APQ 02015/14), CNPq (grant number no. 487221/2012-5), and FAPESP (grant no. 2016/22488-3) for financial support, as well as to CAPES, PIBIC/CNPq/UFJF and CNPq for fellowships. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr Pedro LS Pinto for excellent technical assistance with S. mansoni life cycle maintenance at the Adolfo Lutz Institute (São Paulo, SP, Brazil), and LR Riani (NIPPAN) and CG Silva (CENTRALBIO) for technical assistance in UFJF.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful to FAPEMIG (grant numbers no. PPM 00296/16; APQ 02015/14), CNPq (grant number no. 487221/2012-5), and FAPESP (grant no. 2016/22488-3) for financial support, as well as to CAPES, PIBIC/CNPq/UFJF and CNPq for fellowships. The authors have no other 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 apart from those disclosed.