Aims: Polysaccharide nanoparticles were studied as drug delivery vehicles for chemopreventive agents.
Materials & methods: Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) was incorporated into a carbohydrate matrix of gum arabic and maltodextrin with an encapsulation efficiency of approximately 85%.
Results: Encapsulated EGCG retained its biological activity, reducing the cell viability and inducing apoptosis of Du145 prostate cancer cells. Clonogenic assay demonstrated that encapsulation of EGCG enhanced its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation (10-20%) at lower concentrations (1-2 µM), compared with free EGCG.
Conclusion: This study highlights the use of polysaccharide nanoparticles in chemoprevention as they can be used to deliver natural antioxidants capable of inhibiting steps of the tumorigenesis process.