Development and in vitro evaluation of BSA-coated liposomes containing Zn (II) phthalocyanine-containing ferrocene groups for photodynamic therapy of lung cancer

Abstract The aim of our study was to discover an alternative active substance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib (Erlo) used in lung cancer treatment and to develop an appropriate and efficient formulation for oral administration of the substance. Newly synthesized zinc (II) phthalocyanine bearing ferrocene groups (Pc-Zn) was chosen as a model drug due to its use in photodynamic therapy. Pc-Zn increased the amount of nicked form (Form II) by 22.90% and decreased the amount of supercoiled form (Form I) by 77.10% in DNA cleavage studies using plasmid pBR322 DNA in the presence of light and oxygen. Liposome formulations containing Pc-Zn (Pc-Zn Lip) or Erlo (Erlo Lip) had small particle size as 450.5±32.4 nm and 187.2±1.6 nm, respectively and coating with bovine serum albumin (BSA) had not significantly changed particle sizes. Pc-Zn loaded liposomes had significantly (p