Antitumor activities of liposome-incorporated aqueous extracts of Anodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834)

Abstract

To acquire the effectiveness of oral treatments, aqueous extracts of Anodonta woodiana (HB) were incorporated into liposome and its antitumor activities evaluated in vivo. The HB-loaded liposomes (HBL) were prepared at a mean size of 14.85 μm by reverse-phase evaporation method. Referring to the maximum tolerated doses test, mice with orally administrated HBL, at a 3 g/kg body weight dosage, showed no obvious acute toxic sign. Furthermore, the tumoricidal activities of HBL against C26 murine colon carcinoma, Lewis lung tumor, human QGY hepatic carcinoma and MKN-45 gastric tumor were examined, respectively. In contrast to free HB, HBL possessed remarkable antitumor activity. Simultaneously, the effect of HBL was observed in a dose-dependent manner. For C26 murine colon carcinoma and Lewis lung tumor, the inhibitory ratios of HBL were 54.36 and 51.97% at a dose of 400 mg/kg, respectively. The suppression of tumor growth and the reduction in body weight were more pronounced in human QGY hepatic carcinoma and MKN-45 gastric tumors inoculated mice by treatment of HBL during 30 days. All these promising results implied that liposome-incorporated aqueous extracts of Anodonta woodiana had a more potential application as a natural antitumor and immunomodulator formulation.