Improved photodynamic efficacy of thiophenyl sulfonated zinc phthalocyanine loaded in lipid nano-carriers for hepatocellular carcinoma cancer cells

Background: The aim of the present study was to modify the structural activity of zinc(II)phthalocyanine by combining it with thiophenyl groups then loaded in lipid nano-carriers and evaluate its parameters required for the structure-activity relationship (SAR) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. Methods: Tetra (4-Thiophenyl) sulfonated phthalocyaninatozinc(II) (PhS center dot SO3Na)(4)ZnPc 5 was synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic methods as a test compound. Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells were treated with the synthesized (PhS center dot SO3Na)(4)ZnPc 5 derivative loaded in lipid nano carriers to understand the effect of combined compound on liver cancer cells. Furthermore, HepG2 cells were irradiated by visible red light at 60 mW/cm( )(2)for 20 min. The phototoxicity of (PhS center dot SO3Na)(4)ZnPc 5 after being formulated in both (L) and transfersomes (T) was investigated. Results: Overall, the results indicate that combination of thiophenyl groups substitution, in particular in the structure of sulfonated zinc phthalocyanine is able to improve the photodynamic properties of ZnPc, and (PhS center dot SO3Na)(4)ZnPc 5 loaded in lipid nano carriers can be a promising combined PDT treatment strategy for Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Conclusions: The new formulation ZnPc-lipid nano-carriers will be beneficial in the upcoming clinical trials and would enhance the inhibition of tumor growth.