Utilization of green formulation technique and efficacy estimation on cell line studies for dual anticancer drug therapy with niosomes.

The aim of the present study was to prepare niosome formulations for the simultaneous encapsulation, dual drug therapy, of two anticancer drugs by the ecological probe sonication method. Poloxamer and sorbitan monostearate were used as surface active agents in niosomes, and the water soluble doxorubicin and poorly-water soluble paclitaxel were used as anticancer drugs. Thorough physicochemical analysis were performed for the niosomes, and their cytotoxicity and activity were evaluated on MCF-7 and PC3-MM2 cancer cell lines. Prepared niosomes were small in size with sizes ranging from 137 nm to 893 nm, and entrapment efficiencies were high, ranging from 91.24% to 99.99%. During the four weeks stability testing, the particle size remained stable. The niosomal formulations showed in vitro sustained drug release profiles for doxorubicin and clearly increased the dissolution rate of poorly water soluble paclitaxel. The incorporation of both the drugs into niosomes improved cell penetration and antiproliferative activity of the drugs PC3-MM2 cell lines. As a conclusion, doxorubicin and paclitaxel loaded niosome formulations resulted in relatively stable, small sized niosomes with improved drug release profiles, low toxicity, better cell penetration and antiproliferative activity. The niosomes showed synergistic effect due to the presence of both drugs, which can overcome multidrug resistance.