Loaded liposomes with kaurenoic acid or Copaifera langsdorffii extract: development, characterization, antitumor and tripanocide activities

Author(s)

Ana Rita de Mello Costa

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2016-04-18

Examining board members

Luis Alexandre Pedro de Freitas; Maria Jose Vieira Fonseca; Ricardo Neves Marreto; Rose Mary Zumstein Georgetto Naal

• Advisor: Luis Alexandre Pedro de Freitas; Maria Elena Ibañez Ezequiel

Abstract

Copaifera langsdorffii is one of the Brazilian plants which receives governmental support for scientific researches and also presents several biological activities. The kaurenoic acid (KA) is a diterpenic acid constituent of this specie that presents, in special, antitumoral and tripanocide activities which were taken into account in this study. Due to the lack of KA extraction from C. langsdorffii leaves in the literature and to KA low solubility, its extraction was studied using solid-liquid and supercritical fluid extraction methods. The supercritical fluid extraction is advantageous since provides solvent-free extracts and is an environment friendly method. Since KA is antitumoral and tripanocide and both activities are subject of national and internacional studies, in this study, KA was added in conventional and stealth liposomes in order to increase its biodiponibility, to allow it reaching the target tissue and decrease its adverse effects. So, this work was divided in three segments: a) study and optimize the KA extraction from C. langsdorffii leaves by solid-liquid (SLE) and supercritical fluid (SFE) extraction methods, b) obtain conventional liposomes, dry them by freeze drying (FD), spray drying (SD) and spray freeze drying (SFD), compare their physico-chemical features and evaluate their antitumor and tripanocide activities, c) obtain stealth liposomes and evaluate their selective tumor activity. In a general way, the extraction methods result in high KA selective extraction by both SLE and SFE since they were able to extract nearly 20% of KA. The SFE was a bit more efficacious than SLE providing 26,2% of KA. Conventional liposomes dried by SD and SFD were more similar in fluidity and morphology, KA and liposome lipid compounds interaction and dissolution/ release than liposomes dried by FD. The three drying methods provided more stable liposomes than the aqueous solution liposomes. Dried conventional liposomes presented higher cytotoxicity to tumor cells and lower one to normal cells when loaded with KA than unloaded conventional liposomes. The lipid linked to poliethyleneglycol and to folic acid to prepare stealth liposomes were successfully synthesized. However, the stealth liposomes did not presented selective antitumor action in relation to normal cells. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/02082-1 - Copaifera langsdorffii: development of liposomes stabilized by spray freeze drying with selective antitumor action
• Grantee: Ana Rita de Mello Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate