Study of toxicity and antioxidant activity of liposomal antioxidants using Paramecium caudatum model

Abstract

Antioxidant drugs are actively used in medical practice for the treatment of inflammatory processes in various cardiac, ophthalmic, autoimmune, cancer and other diseases. The use of nanobiotechnological methods is a promising area of modern pharmacy, as it allows for creation of drugs of a qualitatively new level. Encapsulation of active pharmaceutical ingredients in liposomal nanoparticles makes it possible to increase the bioavailability and efficacy of natural antioxidants, to create water-soluble injectable forms of hydrophobic compounds. Biotesting is a simple, informative and rapid method to evaluate the toxicity and antioxidant activity of drugs, which can be a valid alternative to the use of laboratory ani­mals at the screening stage. Paramecium caudatum is an unicellular infusoria widely used as test-object due to high sensitivity to environmental changes; big cell size, which makes it possible to monitor changes in morphology and mobility of the cells; easy cultivation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the toxicity and antioxidant activity of liposomal forms of antioxidants: quercetin, curcumin, coenzyme Q10 and cytochrome C by biotesting method using Paramecium caudatum. The toxicity of liposomal forms of quercetin, curcumin, coenzyme Q10 and cytochrome C at doses of 25–100 μg/ml using Paramecium caudatum was studied. Incubation of Paramecium caudatum with liposomal forms of quercetin, curcumin and coenzyme Q10 led to growth of the cell culture, whereas liposomal cytochrome C caused cell lysis within 24 hours. It is established that toxicity of liposomal preparation is influenced by its lipid composition. Incorporation of anionic phospholipid (dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol) in lipid membrane significantly reduces the survival of the test culture compared with liposomes containing only phosphatidylcholine. In the model of oxidative stress induced in Paramecium caudatum by hydrogen peroxide, liposomal forms of quercetin, curcumin and coenzyme Q10 demonstrated dose-dependent antioxidant effects, which resulted in tole­rance increasing of the test culture to the toxicant.