Enhanced antitumor efficacy on hepatoma-bearing rats with adriamycin-loaded nanoparticles administered into hepatic artery

AIM:To investigate the antitumor activity of adriamycin (ADR) encapsulated in nanoparticles (NADR) and injected into the hepatic artery of hepatoma-bearing rats. METHODS:NADR was prepared by the interfacial polymerization method.Walker-256 carcinosarcomas were surgically implanted into the left liver lobes of 60 male Wistar rats, which were divided into 4 groups at random (15 rats per group).On the 7th day after implantation, normal saline (NS), free ADR (FADR), NADR, or ADR mixed with unloaded nanoparticles (ADR+NP) was respectively injected via the hepatic artery (i.a.) of rats in different groups.The dose of ADR in each formulation was 2.0 mg/kg body weight and the concentration was 1.0 mg/mL.Survival time, tumor enlargement ratio, and tumor necrosis degree were compared between each group. RESULTS:Compared with the rats that received NS i.a., the rats that received FADR or ADR+NP acquired apparent inhibition on tumor growth, as well as prolonged their life span.Further significant anticancer efficacy was observed in rats that received i.a.administration of NADR.Statistics indicated that NADR brought on a more significant tumor inhibition and more extensive tumor necrosis, as compared to FADR or ADR+NP.The mean tumor enlargement ratio on the 7th day after NADR i.a. was 1.106.The mean tumorbearing survival time was 39.50 days.Prolonged life span ratio was 109.22% as compared with rats that accepted NS. CONCLUSION:Therapeutic effect of ADR on liver malignancy can be significantly enhanced by its nanopaticle formulation and administration via hepatic artery.