Quercetin Nanocrystal Formulation: In Vitro Anti-tumor Activity against Dalton Lymphoma Cells

Abstract

In this present work quercetin nanocrystal (QNC) has been formulated and investigated its anti-tumor activity against Dalton’s lymphoma cells (DLA) in an in vitro model.  Since quercetin has poor water solubility, it has been formulated into nanocrystal in order to improve the solubility as well as dissolution rate of the drug. Quercetin nanocrystal (QNC) was formulated using anti-solvent precipitation method followed by lyophilization process. The QNC was subjected to particle size, zeta-potential, FTIR, solubility study, X-ray diffraction study, in-vitro dissolution study and stability study. Further QNC was subjected to in vitro anti-oxidant study using DPPH method and in vitro anti-tumor study using Dalton’s lymphoma cells. The results showed that Particle size of the QNC was found to be within the range of ~600-700nm. The zeta potential values of QNC were obtained as (2.59mV). FTIR study showed that there is no interaction materials used in the preparation of QNC. QNC could increase the saturation solubility as well as dissolution rate.  X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed that QNC were found in the crystalline state. Stability study showed that at low temperature the stability of QNC could be maintained for six months. QNC showed significant antioxidant activity using in vitro DPPH method. QNC exhibited dose-dependent anti-tumor activity with DLA cells. Therefore, this study concluded that formulated QNC exhibited potent antioxidant activity as well as anti-tumor activity.

Keywords: Quercetin; Nanocrystal; DPPH; DLA cells