Enhanced delivery of phyllanthus niruri nanoparticles or prostate cancer therapy

Prostate cancer is ranked second leading cause of cancer death, globally. Conventional treatment strategies hold very limited scope as cancer advances in grade. Treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy possess adverse side effects which lead us to explore the natural products as anticancer agents. The main aim of present work is to bring together the advantages of ayurvedic formulations with that of modern nanotechnology. Phyllanthus niruri is an ayurvedic plant that has shown its potential as an effective anticancer agent in prostate cancer and its ability as an effective apoptosis inducer as well as an antimetastatic agent in cancer cells. In order to increase the bioavailability of P. niruri extract, stable nanoparticles were prepared and its effect was studied. Size analysis by DLS and SEM revealed the average size of nanoparticles prepared was 150±50 nm. In vitro haemolysis and coagulation assay confirmed the blood biocompatibility of the nanoparticles. In vitro cytotoxicity showed concentration and time dependent toxicity on prostate cancer cells with cell viability of 35% with maximum concentration in 48 hrs.The prepared nanoparticles showed a significant decrease in clonogenity and wound healing capacity. On the whole the above characteristics of P. niruri nanoparticles make it a valuable candidate for prostate cancer therapy. Copyright © 2014 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved.