Polyethylenimine and sodium cholate-modified ethosomes complex as multidrug carriers for the treatment of melanoma through transdermal delivery

Multidrug resistance is the main reason for the failure of chemotherapy during the treatment of the tumor. To overcome multidrug resistance, this study attempts to develop a novel transdermal drug-delivery system (TDDS) loading cytotoxic drug and chemosensitizer. Materials & methods: The polyethylenimine-modified ethosomes (Eth(-PEI)) and sodium cholate-modified ethosomes (Eth(-SC)) were firstly fabricated, and then a novel TDDS based on the carriers complex of Eth(-PEI)/Eth(-SC) was prepared by electrostatic interaction and evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Results: The Eth(-PEI)/Eth(-SC) showed the excellent antitumor effect on treating melanoma, using doxorubicin and curcumin as the cytotoxic drug and chemosensitizer, respectively. Conclusion: The as-prepared TDDS composed of Eth(-PEI)/Eth(-SC) loading multidrug is an effective means for treating melanoma.