Encapsulation of Diosgenin in chitosan nanoparticles with enhanced invitro and invivo anticancer activity in Female Sprague Dawley rats

The main purpose of this study was to optimize the conditions for synthesizing diosgenin-encapsulated chitosan nanoparticles (DIO@CS NPs) and anticancer activity. Nanoparticles encapsulating diosgenin were synthesized using ionic gelation utilizing three different chitosan weight percentages and polyanion STPP (Sodium tripolyphosphate) as the cross-linking agent. The synthesis depended on ionic interaction between positively charged chitosan and negatively charged STPP. The incorporation of diosgenin into the chitosan nanoparticles was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Chitosan nanoparticle entrapment effectiveness (EE%) was between 76% to 94% and increased with diosgenin concentration. Invitro diosgenin drug release from nanoparticles was decelerated when employing greater molecular weight chitosan. Chitosan nanoparticles released diosgenin diffusion-controlled in drug release study. DIO@CS nanoparticles evaluated on A431 human skin cancer cells demonstrated significant anticancer activity. These results suggest that DIO@CS NPs could be a novel skin cancer therapy. Each rat received 25 mg/kg DMBA subcutaneously. Tumor-bearing animals were lighter. DMBA-induced mice gained less weight than DIO@CS NPs. Oral DIO@CS NPs (2.5 mg/kg b.wt) recovered cellular antioxidants and mitigated histopathological staining of hematoxylin and eosin on breast carcinoma. Based on the foregoing results, Diosgenin nanoformulations provide a novel breast cancer treatment.