Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) as Drug Carriers for Topical Treatment of Skin Cancer.

• Grant number: 07/01730-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2008
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal researcher: Luis Alexandre Pedro de Freitas
• Grantee: Stephânia Fleury Taveira
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The skin cancer is one of the tumors more diagnosised amongst all the existing ones and its risk of life is potentially equal to the other types of cancer. Currently, the existing treatments are the surgeries, which lead to the appearance of scars, or the intravenous administration, which cause many side effects. Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used anticancer agent since its discovery in 1962 due to its effectiveness proven against different types of cancers. However, systemic chemotherapy to treat skin cancer presents a low therapeutically index, beyond the undesirable effects, as the cardiotoxicity. Topical chemotherapy with DOX could be an interesting alternative to treat skin cancer with reduced systemic toxicity, since the used dose is in small amounts and is located. However, skin is an effective barrier for the penetration of hydrophilic drugs as the DOX. Therefore, aiming an alternative of more efficient treatments and minimized suffering for the patients, the objective of this work is to target and to increase the cutaneous penetration of DOX, beyond protecting it against eventual degradations into the skin, through the development of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) containing DOX and the application of iontophoresis. The cutaneous absorption of this anticancer from the SLN, in the absence and presence of an electric current, will be verified in vitro. The cytotoxicity of the best formulations will also be analyzed in tumoral cell culture and in vivo, in mice inoculated with these same cells.