Edible ginseng-derived exosomes as drug delivery vehicles reduce the dose and improve the anti-cancer effect of CDDP

Abstract

Nanotechnology and nanomaterials have emerged as promising tools for the delivery of anti-tumor drug cisplatin (CDDP). However, concerns exist regarding potential toxicity and cost-effectiveness, limiting their clinical applications. In contrast, plant-derived exosomes (PDEs), as natural nanovesicles, offer significant advantages as drug delivery carriers due to their large-scale production, biocompatibility, and ability to efficiently transport therapeutic drug across cellular barriers. In this work, we established a ginseng-derived exosome (G-Exo)-based CDDP delivery system (G-CDDP) and evaluated its anti-tumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo. The results demonstrated that G-CDDP effectively targeted tumor site, inhibiting the proliferation and migration and promoting apoptosis in U-87MG tumor cells. Notably, the amount of CDDP in G-CDDP required for achieving the same cytotoxic effect on tumor cells was 12.66 times lower than that of free CDDP. In U-87MG tumor-bearing mice, G-CDDP effectively targeted tumor sites and exhibited significant therapeutic effect. Collectively, these findings highlight the potent anti-tumor activity of G-CDDP at reduced CDDP dosage, positioning it as a promising and efficient alternative to conventional drug treatments in clinical settings.