Preparation, characterization and in vitro evaluation of anticancer and antioxidant effects of luteolin-loaded nanocapsules

Luteolin (Lut) is a natural flavonoid compound endowed with medicinal properties but suffering from low water-solubility, stability, and bioavailability which limit its use in pharmaceutical applications. Encapsulation of luteolin in nanocarriers is providing a viable approach to overcome these drawbacks. Here, we used a nanoprecipitation method to prepare luteolin-loaded nanocapsules composed of poly(ε-caprolactone), Tween 80, soybean oil, and phosphatidylcholine at two different amounts. The luteolin-loaded nanocapsules showed nanometric size, very narrow polydispersity index, negative Zeta potential, excellent encapsulation efficiency, high size stability and good luteolin retention also under thermal stress conditions The phosphatidylcholine content influenced the amount of encapsulated drug, and the nanocapsules with higher luteolin content were successfully tested for ROS scavenger effects and cytotoxicity against human colon adenocarcinoma HCT116 cells. The luteolin-loaded nanocapsules that increased luteolin water solubility and stability and preserved the luteolin biological activity, appear promising for pharmaceutical applications.