Liquisolid system of paclitaxel using modified polysaccharides: In vitro cytotoxicity, apoptosis study, cell cycle analysis, in vitro mitochondrial membrane potential assessment, and pharmacokinetics.

The research was aimed to develop a liquisolid formulation of paclitaxel using novel, highly porous liquisolid carriers (modified polysaccharides) to enhance bioavailability of orally administered paclitaxel. Modified polysaccharides namely co-grinded treated guar gum (C-TGG), co-grinded treated tamarind kernel powder (C-TTKP) and co-grinded treated locust bean gum (C-TLBG) were developed by sequentially subjecting the corresponding polysaccharides to wetting, drying and co-grinding with mannitol (1:1). A total of 12 liquisolid systems of paclitaxel (LSP-1 to LSP-12) were formulated using non-volatile solvent (polysorbate 80/Solutol HS 15®), carrier material (C-TGG/C-TTKP/C-TLBG), and Aerosil® 200 as coating material, and evaluated for pre-compression parameters. The liquisolid systems were directly compressed to produce liquisolid tablets (LTP-1 to LTP-12) and assessed for post compression parameters, cytotoxic/cellular analysis and pharmacokinetics. The modified polysaccharides exhibited narrow symmetrical particle size distribution, high liquid absorption potential, diminutive swelling index, favorable in vitro biodegradability and compression amenability. Among the directly compressed liquisolid tabs, LTP-10 exhibited highest CDR of 98.70 ± 2.68% and permeability of 61.59%. The IC50 of <20 mmol/L indicated remarkable cytotoxic potential on human gastro-enteric tumor cancerous cell lines (NCI-N87). Additionally, LTP-10 exhibited significantly high values for cell death 37.92 and 54.17% (P < 0.01) in early and late apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential regain (33%) in comparison to paclitaxel (P < 0.05) and 5-fluorouracil (P < 0.01). Pharmacokinetics revealed Cmax of 536.48 ± 4.63 μg/L at 1.64 ± 0.44 h for LTP-10 indicating enhancement in bioavailability (5.43 fold) of paclitaxel on oral administration.