Fabrication and characterization of liposomal nanoparticles containing hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia absintium and its toxicity on MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

Introduction: The use of chemotherapy drugs has side effects, and the use of herbal compounds in the treatment of cancer faces challenges. Nanoparticles, especially liposomes, with appropriate properties in drug delivery, such as slow drug release and low toxicity at the target cell site, can solve some of these problems. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to develop a liposomal system containing Artemisia absinthium extract and to investigate its toxicity against the MCF-7 cell line. Methods: Three liposomal systems containing extracts with different molar percentages of soybean phosphatidylcholine (80% and 60%) along with cholesterol were prepared using the thin-film hydration method. The most suitable formulation was selected according to the loading percentage and release rate. Extract release from the selected formulation, particle size, and zeta potential were investigated. Finally, the toxicity of the extractloaded system, the free extract, and the unloaded system against the MCF-7 cell line was measured. Results: Extract loading, particle size, dispersion index, and zeta potential for the selected formulation are 49.2% ± 0.4%, 121.9 nm, 0.129, and −10.6 mV. The system showed a slow release at temperatures similar to healthy and cancer cells. Also, the liposome-encapsulated extract was more toxic against MCF-7 cells compared with the free extract, and extract-free liposomes had little toxicity against MCF-7 cells. Conclusion: The liposomal system containing Artemisia absinthium extract has a higher toxicity than the free extract against breast cancer cells, which can be due to the physicochemical properties of the system, including targeted release.