Nano-formulation of paclitaxel by vitamin E succinate functionalized pluronic micelles for enhanced encapsulation, stability and cytotoxicity

Vitamin E succinate (TOS) modified pluronic micelles (PF-TOS micelles) were prepared to be used as a vehicle for paclitaxel (PTX). The average size of resultant PTX-loaded PF-TOS micelles (PF-TOS-PTX-micelles) was about 58 nm. PF-TOS-PTX-micelles showed enhanced encapsulation efficiency and better stability as compared to the non-modified controls. Fluorescence microscopy and high performance liquid chromatography studies showed that PTX-loaded PF-TOS micelles had excellent cellular uptake ability by human glioma U87 cells. Cytotoxicity assay revealed that PTX-loaded PF-TOS micelles demonstrated higher anti-cancer activity to U87 cells than that of the non-modified PF micelles. Pharmacokinetic studies indicated the longer systemic circulation time and slower plasma elimination rate in PTX-loaded PF-TOS micelles than that of the non-modified controls. In vivo tissue distribution studies showed that PTX-loaded PF-TOS micelles were preferably accumulated in spleen and liver. Taken together, the results evidently indicated that PF-TOS micelles improve the hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drugs delivery by means of efficient encapsulation and stabilization for anti-tumor therapy.