NANOEMULSION-BASED CAMPHOR OIL CARRYING IFOSFAMIDE: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION IN CANCER CELLS

Formulating the essential oils with the chemotherapeutic agents in nanocarrier may develop a potent effect on the cancer cells. A nanoemulsion consisting of the camphor oil (CAM-NE) and Ifosfamide (IFO)-loaded in CAM-NE (CAM-IFO) were physically characterized by the zetasizer and evaluated for in-vitro antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 breast and HeLa cervical cancer cell lines. The cell growth inhibition, cell morphological changes, and apoptosis of the cancer cells, subjected into the CAM-NE, CAM-IFO and the free-drug (IFO), were examined by the MTT assay, light microscopy, and DAPI stain, respectively. It has been found that the dispersed nanodroplets of CAMNE had mean particle diameter and zeta potential of 34.975 +/- 9.35 nm and -13.75 +/- 1.06 mV, respectively, which had got enlarged to 96.235 +/- 9.00 nm and -22.00 +/- 0.49 mV, respectively, when IFO was incorporated (CAM-IFO). The results of the cell growth inhibition and cellular uptake have demonstrated that CAM-IFO has the highest cytotoxic effect on both tested cells when compared with CAM-NE and IFO. These findings suggest that the combination therapy of IFO with NE-based CAM oil has potential anticancer activity.