Use of lipid microspheres as a drug carrier for antitumour drugs

Abstract

Abstract 9-Oxo-15-hydroxy-Δ7,10,13-prostatrienoic acid methyl ester (Δ7PGA1), an antitumour drug was incorporated into lipid microspheres of 0.2 μm diameter (lipo-Δ7-PGA1). In in-vivo experiments, lipo-Δ7-PGA1 had a significantly greater antitumour activity than free Δ7-PGA1 against P388 leukaemia. Lipo-Δ7-PGA1, slightly, but significantly, prolonged the survival time of mice inoculated with L1210 leukaemia, whereas free Δ7-PGA1 did not. Against MM46 ascites tumour, the survival time after treatment with 10 mg kg−1 of lipo-Δ7-PGA1 was significantly greater than that after the same dose of free Δ7PGA1. The results suggest that lipid microspheres can be used as drug delivery carriers for lipid soluble antitumour agents.