Novel resveratrol and 5-fluorouracil coencapsulated in PEGylated nanoliposomes improve chemotherapeutic efficacy of combination against head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Increasing consumption of tobacco and alcohol has led to a steady increase in the incidence of head and neck cancers in Asia. The drawbacks associated with the existing chemotherapeutic and surgical interventions have necessitated the development of a safer alternative for therapy of head and neck cancers. In this study we have explored the synergistic therapeutic potential of a phytochemical and chemotherapeutic agent using PEGylated liposomes as a delivery vehicle. Resveratrol and 5-fluorouracil were successfully coencapsulated in a single PEGylated nanoliposome. The thermal analysis and the nuclear magnetic resonance results revealed that resveratrol localized near the glycerol backbone of the liposomal membrane while 5-fluorouracil localized closer to the phosphate moiety, which influenced the release kinetics of both drugs. The nanoformulation was tested in vitro on a head and neck cancer cell line NT8e and was found to exhibit a GI50 similar to that of free 5-fluorouracil. Further, gene expression studies showed that the combination of resveratrol and 5-fluorouracil exhibited different effects on different genes that may influence the net antagonistic effect. The coencapsulation of resveratrol and 5-fluorouracil in a liposomal nanocarrier improved the cytotoxicity in comparison with the free drug combination when tested in vitro.