Easy preparation, characterization and cytotoxic investigation of 5-Fluorouracil-loaded zein/sericin nanoblends

In this study, for the first time, 5-Fluorouracil was entrapped in blend nanosystems made up of sericin and zein by means of an easy and economic approach. The nanoblends showed mean sizes of 100-150 nm, a monodispersed population, high stability in serum, 6 months storage stability and the possibility to be freeze-dried. In addition, the colloidal blend systems showed a greater ability to hold the bioactive compound as compared to the zein nanosystems, and promoted a gradual release of the drug. The nanoblend preserved the pharmacological activity of 5-Fluouracil against cancer cells, suggesting the potential application of this novel formulation in antitumor therapy. (C) 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

For the first time, 5-Fluorouracil was successfully entrapped in sericin and zein blend nanosystems using an easy and economic approach. The resulting nanoblends exhibited small size, monodispersed population, high stability in serum, long-term storage stability, and the ability for freeze-drying. Furthermore, the blend systems showed improved drug loading capacity compared to zein nanosystems and allowed for gradual release of the drug. This study demonstrated the potential application of the nanoblend formulation in antitumor therapy by preserving the pharmacological activity of 5-Fluorouracil against cancer cells.