The chemopreventive potential of Resveratrol (RV) against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action have been widely demonstrated. The physicochemical properties of RV, particularly its high reactivity and low solubility in aqueous phase, have been limiting factors for its bioavailability and in vivo efficacy. In order to overcome these limitations, its inclusion in drug delivery systems needs to be taken into account. In particular, oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions (NEs) have been considered ideal candidates for RV encapsulation. Since surfactant and oil composition can strongly influence NE features and their application field, a ternary phase diagram was constructed and evaluated to select a suitable surfactant/oil/water ratio. The selected sample was deeply characterized in terms of physical chemical features, stability, release capability and cytotoxic activity. Results showed a significant decrease in cell viability after the incubation of bladder T24 cancer cells with RV-loaded NEs, compared to free RV. The selected NE formulation was able to preserve and improve RV cytotoxic activity by a more rapid drug uptake into the cells. O/W NEs represent an effective approach to improve RV bioavailability.
Keywords: bioactive compound; bladder cells; cytotoxicity activity; essential oils; nanoemulsions; nanoformulations; resveratrol.