Doxorubicin loaded gold nanoparticles: Implication of passive targeting on anticancer efficacy

Abstract The present work aims to investigate targeting potential of doxorubicin (Dox) functionalized gold nanoparticles (D-GNPs) for treatment of chemically induced fibrosarcoma in mice. Carrier GNPs were synthesised by green chemistry method and loaded with doxorubicin by incubation method. D-GNPs were studied for its biocompatibility using normal mouse fibroblasts (L929) and found to be cell compatible and non-toxic. D-GNPs (at a dose of 2.5, 2 and 1.5 mg/kg equivalent to Dox) demonstrated passive targeting measured as function of antitumor efficacy against chemical induced fibrosarcoma which showed higher latency to the tumour growth as compared to free Dox (2.5 mg/kg). D-GNPs exhibited significantly higher therapeutic anticancer efficacy (∼81% tumour suppression at dose of 2.5 mg/kg equivalent to Dox) in the same model as compared to that of free doxorubicin (∼48% tumour suppression at dose of 2.5 mg/kg). Safety profile and targeting efficiency of developed formulation was established by assessing cardiac and blood markers.