Encapsulation of anticancer drug cisplatin in vaterite polymorph of calcium carbonate nanoparticles for targeted delivery and slow release

Cisplatin is a commonly used anticancer drug which belonging to the first generation of platinum-based anticancer drugs developed. The cis configuration enables the binding of the coordination complex to one or two DNA strand(s) and thereby crosslinking the DNA strands triggering the cells to die in a programmed manner. It is used to treat various types of cancers such as small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, and germ cell tumours. When administered into blood, cisplatin reacts with thiol containing proteins present in blood plasma thus reducing its bioavailability and increasing cytotoxicity. It is, therefore, associated with numerous side effects including nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, nausea, vomiting and ototoxicity. This paper describes a novel method to overcome these drawbacks and to improve bioavailability and the efficacy of the drug and to decrease dosage by encapsulating the drug in porous nanoparticles of vaterite and allowing to release slowly only at the vicinity of cancer cells by taking the advantage of the low solubility of vaterite at slightly acidic pH of cancer cells and the insolubility of vaterite in neutral and slightly basic pH conditions of blood and healthy cells.