Background: Parenteral administration of chemotherapeutic drugs, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV), is commonly used to treat large bowel carcinomas such as colon cancer (CC) and colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Aim: Our study aims to design a novel nanoparticulate drug-delivery vehicle for oral use capable of colon-specific release. Methods: A modified double-emulsion solvent evaporation method was used in the preparation of pH-responsive Eudargit® S100 polymeric nanoparticles, loaded with 5-FU/LV combination (5-FU/LV-loaded Eudargit S100 NPs). Results: Our optimized drug-loaded NP showed a pH-responsive drug release and exhibited significantly more cytotoxic actions in cancer-cell lines than free drugs. Conclusion: These findings open the way for conducting clinical trials for colon malignancies treated with nanoparticles.
Keywords: 5-fluorouracil; colon targeting; eudragit S100; large bowel carcinoma; leucovorin; nanoparticles; oral delivery.