This study aimed to improve the solubility, reduce the side effects and enhance the efficacy of gambogic acid against acute myeloid leukemia in vitro and in vivo. This oil-in-water nanoemulsion (average size 17.20 ± 0.11 nm, zeta potential 4.17 ± 0.82 mV) containing Tween-80, glycol, squalene and gambogic acid with improving 4000 times solubility was prepared by pseudoternary phase diagrams. We found that this nanoemulsion successfully encapsulated gambogic acid; it was stable and showed an obvious delayed release effect for the drug in three different phosphate-buffered saline (pH = 2.0, 5.8 and 7.4). The half inhibiting concentration (IC50) of this nanoemulsion (480.7 μg/mL and 408 μg/mL) were 1.67 times and 1.98 times higher than those of its water solution (287 μg/mL and 206 μg/mL) after acting on the toxicity standard cell line (L929 line) for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. Importantly, acute injection toxicity indicated that the half lethal dose (LD50) of this nanoemulsion (23.25 mg/kg, 95% LD50, 21.7-25.16 mg/kg) was 1.26 times higher than that of its water solution (18.59 mg/kg, 95% LD50, 16.84-20.53 mg/kg). Compared with its suspension, the bioavailability of this nanoemulsion was 318.2%. Furthermore, this nanoemulsion had a better efficacy against the acute myeloid leukemia in vitro and in vivo by improving the time and percent of survival (MV4-11 engrafts mice) and reducing half inhibiting concentration values in acute myeloid leukemia such as Jurket, HL-60 and MV4-11 cells. Our studies suggested that this nanoemulsion may be a promising therapeutic medicine for acute myeloid leukemia.
Keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Gambogic acid; Half inhibiting concentration value; Nanoemulsion; Toxicity side effect.
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