HPLC assay and pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution study of glycyrrhetinic acid liposomes modified with galactosylated lipid.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of the glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) liposome modified with galactosylated lipid (NOH-GA-LP), compared with GA conventional liposome (GA-LP) and GA solution in mice. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of liposomal and solution formulation of GA in mice were studied after intravenous administration. Plasma and tissues were treated using liquid-liquid extraction and determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Results showed that the mean residence times of NOH-GA-LP (2.99-fold) and GA-LP (2.94-fold) were higher than that of the GA solution in plasma. NOH-GA-LP produced a drug concentration in the liver that was markedly higher than that in other tissues and was approximately 2.0- and 4.8-fold of that of GA-LP and GA solution, respectively. In conclusion, the NOH-GA-LP prepared in this study is a promising sustained-release and drug-targeting system for antitumor drugs.