Evaluation of thermal-oxidative stability and antiglioma activity of Zanthoxylum tingoassuiba essential oil entrapped into multi- and unilamellar liposomes

Abstract

Zanthoxylum tinguassuiba essential oil (ZtEO) contains α-bisabolol, a known antiglioma sesquiterpene, among other potentially active substances. Medical applications of this essential oil require advances in the design of distinctive carriers due to its low water solubility and easy degradation by heat, light, and oxygen. The aim of this work was to evaluate enhancement in oxidative stability and the ability to reduce glioblastoma cell viability of ZtEO loaded into liposomes. Multi- and unilamellar vesicles were prepared to carry ZtEO. By using thermal analysis, it was observed that thermal-oxidative stability of the liposomal ZtEO was enhanced, when compared to its free form. Liposomal ZtEO also presented significant apoptotic-inducing activity for glioma cells. These results show that liposomal systems carrying ZtEO may be a potential alternative for gliobastoma treatment.

Keywords::

• Drug delivery
• liposomes
• volatile oil
• thermoanalysis
• brain-cell viability

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Rosangela Uzeda (Veterinary Parasitizes–MEDVET/UFBA) for providing the space and time during the sonication process, Professora Salette Reis (Physical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy/University of Porto) for helping with size determinations, Professor Heloysa Andrade and Ednaldo Sousa (LABCAT- IQ/UFBA) for helping with thermal analysis, and Professor Marcos Vannier and Claudio Figueira (FIOCRUZ/BA) for helping with morphological analysis.

Declaration of interest

This work was supported by a grant from FAPESB (process no.: DCR0092/2005) and CNPq.