Objective: It was approved that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may have an anti-proliferative or cytotoxic effect on several types of cancers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of the newly formulated niosome of Escitalopram oxalate on the colorectal cancer cell line.
Methods: The niosomes were made by a thin layer hydration method which resulted in particles with a size range between 150 – 450 nm and spherical morphology. Moreover, its permeability release showed 25% in 4 hours. The cytotoxicity evaluation was done by quantitative colorimetric MTT assay.
Results: The cell viability of colon cancer cells after treatment by niosome and escitalopram pure reduced to 28.3 ± 0.83 % and 24.07 ± 0.56%, respectively. However, cytotoxicity assay of escitalopram-loaded niosome suggested that the anti-proliferative effect of niosomal formulation of escitalopram was dose and incubation time-dependent.
Conclusion: These results confirm the potential of the anti-proliferative activity of escitalopram-loaded niosome. It should be further applied to the in vivo model to study its various pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters to establish its therapeutic potential, completely.