Erythrocyte membrane-camouflaged mesoporous silica composite nanoparticles for loading and controlled release of the hepatoprotective agent silibinin: A-synthesis and physicochemical characterization

Abstract

Objectives: Milk thistle has long been used in the treatment of liver and biliary disorders. In the present study, to make a long-acting delivery system for silibinin (SBN, a major active constituent of milk thistle seeds with antioxidant and hepatoprotective function), mesoporous silica composite nanoparticles (NC) were synthesized and coated with RBC membrane.

Methods: A modified Stöber method was used for NC synthesis, which was then characterized using FE-SEM, DLS, TEM, FTIR, and EDAX techniques. A suitable lysis buffer was used to prepare RBC-ghost, and sonication was used to coat SBN-loaded NC (SBN-NC). The RBC-ghost coated SBN-NC (SBN-NC-RBCG) was evaluated by SDS-PAGE, Bradford, TEM, EDAX, and DLS methods. SBN release was then compared for the SBN-NC and SBN-NC-RBCG samples.

Key findings: the RBC membrane proteins were recovered from the coating of SBN-NC-RBCG, and SBN release was sustained over 24 h when compared with the SBN-NC.

Conclusions: Overall, through prolonging circulation in the bloodstream and evading the immune system, the developed system can improve SBN bioavailability in liver inflammation and fibrosis conditions that need further research.

Keywords: cell membrane; drug delivery; liver fibrosis; mesoporous silica; red blood cell; silibinin.