Doxorubicin loaded gold nanoparticles: Implication of passive targeting on anticancer efficacy.

The present work aims to investigate targeting potential of doxorubicin (Dox) functionalized gold nanoparticles (D-GNPs) for treatment of chemically induced fibrosarcoma in mice. Carrier GNPs were synthesised by green chemistry method and loaded with doxorubicin by incubation method. D-GNPs were studied for its biocompatibility using normal mouse fibroblasts (L929) and found to be cell compatible and non-toxic. D-GNPs (at a dose of 2.5, 2 and 1.5mg/kg equivalent to Dox) demonstrated passive targeting measured as function of antitumor efficacy against chemical induced fibrosarcoma which showed higher latency to the tumour growth as compared to free Dox (2.5mg/kg). D-GNPs exhibited significantly higher therapeutic anticancer efficacy (∼81% tumour suppression at dose of 2.5mg/kg equivalent to Dox) in the same model as compared to that of free doxorubicin (∼48% tumour suppression at dose of 2.5mg/kg). Safety profile and targeting efficiency of developed formulation was established by assessing cardiac and blood markers.