pH and GSH dual-responsive silybin nano-micelles for inhibition of breast cancer activity and metastasis in vitro / 药学学报

The clinical tumor therapy was greatly challenged due to the complex characteristics of tumor microenvironment, however, which also provide arena for novel therapeutic strategies. In this study, poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(lactic acid)-SS-poly(β-amino ester (PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE) triblock copolymers with pH and GSH double response were synthesized, polymer micelles were prepared by thin film hydration method for loading of silybin to improve its antitumor activity. The critical micelle concentration was determined by pyrene fluorescence method as 1.8 μg·mL-1. The particle size was 155.30 ± 1.80 nm as determined by dynamic light scattering, with polydispersity index of 0.168 ± 0.004. The drug loading and entrapment efficiency of the micelles were determined by HPLC as (5.48 ± 0.04)% and (68.52 ± 0.48)%, respectively. The in vitro drug release profiles showed that the micelles have low pH sensitivity and high GSH responsiveness, and exhibited sustained release profiles. The good biocompatibility of the material was proved by measuring the hemolysis rate and cytotoxicity of the blank micelle. The cytotoxicity and apoptosis rate of tumor cells showed that the drug loaded PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE micelles had significant inhibitory effect and apoptosis-inducing effect on MDA-MB-231 cells. The results of wounding healing assay and Transwell invasion test showed that the drug loaded PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE micelles could significantly inhibit the metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells. The PEOz-PLA-SS-PBAE drug-loaded micelles prepared in this study have good inhibitory effect on tumor growth and anti-tumor metastasis in vitro, which lays the foundation for the further application of silybin.

Co-load of silybin and doxorubicin by MoS2 nanosheets for synergetic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy of lung cancer / 药学学报

The active ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine, silybin (SBN), can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and enhance the anticancer effect of doxorubicin (DOX). However, due to non-targeting and short half-life of SBN and DOX, as well as different administration routes and pharmacokinetic processes, this combination drug cannot act on the tumor in the set order, seriously eliminating the synergistic effect between them and limiting the effect in vivo. Therefore, we intended to construct a nano-delivery system based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), modified by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sialic acid (SA), and co-loaded with SBN and DOX. The system induced the release of combined drugs under the dual-stimulation of pH and near infra-red (NIR), increased the free concentration of intracellular drugs, so as to achieve the synergistic effect between them. The animal welfare and experimental procedures were in accordance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. MoS2-PEG-SA-SBN/DOX circulated in vivo, and effectively accumulated at tumor sites through enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR) and SA-mediated active targeting. Under near infrared light irradiation, MoS2-PEG-SA-SBN/DOX realized the combination of synergistic chemotherapy and photothermal therapy for tumor, thus achieving excellent anti-tumor effect in vivo. This study can provide a new idea and strategy for the clinical treatment of lung cancer. Taken together, MoS2-PEG-SA-SBN/DOX can offer a new idea and strategy for the clinical treatment of lung cancer.

Study on the modification and anti-tumor activity of silybin derivatives for CDK4/6 targeted / 药学学报

By using computer-aided drug design, the activities group model which CDK4/6 inhibitors on the market were introduced to silybin C-7, and a series of silybin derivatives were designed and synthesized, and the structure was confirmed by MS, 13C NMR and 1H NMR. The in vitro antitumor activity evaluation of the target compound was carried out by MTT method, and the in vitro anti-tumor activity was carried out in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG-2). Experimental results show that all compounds are higher than the activity of the parent silybin, of which compound I1 has a certain inhibitory effect on human HepG-2 cells, which is worth further study.

Network pharmacology study of flavone extracts of Silybum marianum in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 药学学报

To investigate the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of the main flavonoid components of Silybum marianum (S. marianum) on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), we identified nine flavonoids in S. marianum through TCMSP, PubChem database and corresponding literatures. The potential therapeutic targets of NAFLD were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction, GeneCards and Venny 2.1.0 platform, while the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of potential targets was analyzed using String platform and Cytoscape software. Then GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed using David 6.8 database, followed by molecular docking verification using AutoDock software. In vitro, components with higher degree value in the "components-targets-pathway" network were chosen for further analysis. L02 cells were used to establish lipid accumulation model and treated with different components. Furthermore, the effects of four pure active compounds from S. marianum on lipid accumulation in hepatocytes were analyzed by oil red O staining. The results showed that the main nine flavonoids extracted from S. marianum contained 24 potential NAFLD targets. Several critical pathways closely related to NAFLD process were identified by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) pathway, type 2 diabetes pathway, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) pathway and insulin resistance pathway. The results of molecular docking further indicated that the core components displayed strong binding abilities with key targets respectively, and silandrin showed better binding activity as compared to other components. The results obtained from L02 cells showed that the lipid accumulation was reduced by treatment with isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silydianin and silychristin, while the activity of isosilybin B was better than that of isosilybin A. Taken together, we concluded that the main flavone components of S. marianum could improve lipid accumulation through multiple signaling pathway in hepatocytes, and this could be a potential new strategy for the treatment of NAFLD.

Co-amorphous technology to improve dissolution and physical stability of silybin / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the effect of co-amorphous technology in improving the dissolution rate and stability of silybin based on the puerarin-silybin co-amorphous system prepared by the spray-drying method. Solid-state characterization was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction(PXRD), polarizing microscopy(PLM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), etc. Saturated powder dissolution, intrinsic dissolution rate, moisture absorption, and stability were further investigated. The results showed that puerarin and silybin formed a co-amorphous system at a single glass transition temperature which was higher than that of any crude drug. The intrinsic dissolution rate and supersaturated powder dissolution of silybin in the co-amorphous system were higher than those of the crude drug and amorphous system. The co-amorphous system kept stable for as long as three months under the condition of 40 ℃, 75% relative humidity, which was longer than that of the single amorphous silybin. Therefore, the co-amorphous technology could significantly improve the dissolution and stability of silybin.

Effect of silibinin on the expression of MMP2, MMP3, MMP9 and TIMP2 in kidney and lung after hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in an experimental rat model

ABSTRACT Purpose: The protective effect of silibinin on kidney and lung parenchyma during hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is explored. Methods: Sixty-three Wistar rats were separated into three groups: sham; control (45 min IRI); and silibinin (200 μL silibinin administration after 45 min of ischemia and before reperfusion). Immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to evaluate the expression levels of MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, and TIMP2 on kidney and lung. Results: Comparing sham vs. control groups, confirmed that hepatic IRI increased both renal and lung MMP2, MMP3, MMP9 and TIMP2 expressions starting at 180 min (p<0.001). Comparison of the control vs. silibinin groups showed a statistically significant decrease in the expression levels of MMP2, MMP3, and MMP9 and increase of TIMP2 in kidney and lung parenchyma. The starting point of this decrease was at 120 min after reperfusion, both for kidney and lung parameters, and it was statistically significant at 240 min (p<0.001) for kidney, while silibinin showed a peak of lung protection at 180 min after hepatic reperfusion (p<0.001). Conclusions: Hepatic IRI causes distant kidney and lung damage, while a statistically significant protective action, both on kidney and lung parenchyma, is conveyed by the intravenous administration of silibinin.

Effects of HPMCAS MF on absorption of silybin from supersaturable self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system / 中国中药杂志

To evaluate the effects of Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate(HPMCAS MF) on absorption of silybin(SLB) from supersaturable self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system which was pre-prepared at the early stage experiment. The cell toxicity of self-emulsifying preparation was evaluated by the MTT method, and the in vitro membrane permeability and absorption promoting effect of the self-emulsifying preparation were evaluated by establishing a Caco-2 cell monolayer model. The in vivo and in vitro supersaturation correlation was evaluated via the blood concentration of SLB. The results of MTT showed that the concentration of the preparation below 2 mg·mL~(-1)(C_(SLB) 100 μg·mL~(-1)) was not toxic to Caco-2 cells, and the addition of polymer had no significant effect on Caco-2 cells viability. As compared with the solution group, the transport results showed that the P_(app)(AP→BL) of the self-emulsifying preparation had a very significant increase; the transport rate of silybin can be reduced by polymer in 0-30 min; however, there was no difference in supersaturated transport between supersaturated SLB self-nanoemulsion drug delivery system(SLB-SSNEDDS) and SLB self-nanoemulsion drug delivery system(SLB-SNEDDS) within 2 hours. As compared with SLB suspension, pharmacokinetic parameters showed that the blood concentration of both SLB-SNEDDS and SLB-SSNEDDS groups were significantly increased, and C_(max) was 5.25 times and 9.69 times respectively of that in SLB suspension group, with a relative bioavailability of 578.45% and 1 139.44% respectively. C_(max) and relative bioavailability of SLB-SSNEDDS were 1.85 times and 197% of those of SLB-SNEDDS, respectively. Therefore, on the one hand, SSNEDDS can increase the solubility of SLB in gastrointestinal tract by maintaining stability of SLB supersaturation state; on the other hand, the osmotic transport process of SLB was regulated through the composition of its preparations, and both of them could jointly promote the transport and absorption of SLB to improve the oral bioavailability of SLB.

Silybin alleviates hepatic lipid accumulation in methionine-choline deficient diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in mice via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α / 中国天然药物

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is regarded as the most common liver disease with no approved therapeutic drug currently. Silymarin, an extract from the seeds of Silybum marianum, has been used for centuries for the treatment of various liver diseases. Although the hepatoprotective effect of silybin against NAFLD is widely accepted, the underlying mechanism and therapeutic target remain unclear. In this study, NAFLD mice caused by methionine-choline deficient (MCD) diet were orally administrated with silybin to explore the possible mechanism and target. To clarify the contribution of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), PPARα antagonist GW6471 was co-administrated with silybin to NAFLD mice. Since silybin was proven as a PPARα partial agonist, the combined effect of silybin with PPARα agonist, fenofibrate, was then evaluated in NAFLD mice. Serum and liver samples were collected to analyze the pharmacological efficacy and expression of PPARα and its targets. As expected, silybin significantly protected mice from MCD-induced NAFLD. Furthermore, silybin reduced lipid accumulation via activating PPARα, inducing the expression of liver cytosolic fatty acid-binding protein, carnitine palmitoyltransferase (Cpt)-1a, Cpt-2, medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, and suppressing fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α. GW6471 abolished the effect of silybin on PPARα signal and hepatoprotective effect against NAFLD. Moreover, as a partial agonist for PPARα, silybin impaired the powerful lipid-lowering effect of fenofibrate when used together. Taken together, silybin protected mice against NAFLD via activating PPARα to diminish lipid accumulation and it is not suggested to simultaneously take silybin and classical PPARα agonists for NAFLD therapy.

Supersaturated polymeric micelles for oral silybin delivery: the role of the Soluplus-PVPVA complex

Increasing the degree of supersaturation of drugs and maintaining their proper stability are very important in improving the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs by a supersaturated drug delivery system (SDDS). In this study, we reported a complex system of Soluplus-Copovidone (Soluplus-PVPVA) loaded with the model drug silybin (SLB) that could not only maintain the stability of a supersaturated solution but also effectively promote oral absorption. The antiprecipitation effect of the polymers on SLB was observed using the solvent-shift method. In addition, the effects of the polymers on absorption were detected by cellular uptake and transport experiments. The mechanisms by which the Soluplus-PVPVA complex promotes oral absorption were explored by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence spectra and isothermal titration calorimetry analyses. Furthermore, a pharmacokinetic study in rats was used to demonstrate the advantages of the Soluplus-PVPVA complex. The results showed that Soluplus and PVPVA spontaneously formed complexes in aqueous solution the adsorption of PVPVA on the hydrophilic-hydrophobic interface of the Soluplus micelle, and the Soluplus-PVPVA complex significantly increased the absorption of SLB. In conclusion, the Soluplus-PVPVA complex is a potential SDDS for improving the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs.

Experimental study of silybin-phospholipid complex intervention on amiodarone-induced fatty liver in mice / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To probe into the mechanism and interventional effects of silybin-phospholipid complex on amiodarone-induced steatosis in mice.@*Methods@#Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups (5 mice in each group): a control group (WT) with normal diet, a model group with amiodarone 150mg/kg/d by oral gavage (AM), and an intervention group on amiodarone 150mg/kg/d combined with silybin-phospholipid complex(AM+SILIPHOS. All mice were fed their assigned diet for one week. Then, one week later, serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglyceride, total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein were detected of each group. A liver pathological change was observed by oil red O and H&E staining. Ultrastructural pathological changes of hepatocytes were observed to evaluate the intervention effect by transmission electron microscopy. RT-q PCR was used to detect the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha and its regulated lipid metabolism genes CPTI, CPTII, Acot1, Acot2, ACOX, Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 in liver tissues. Intra-group comparison was done by paired t-test. One-way ANOVA was used for comparison between groups and semi-quantitative data were tested using Mann-Whitney U test.@*Results@#Oil Red O and H&E staining results of liver tissue in the intervention group showed that intrahepatic steatosis was significantly reduced when compared to model group. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the model group had pyknotic nuclei, mitochondrial swelling, structural damage, and lysosomal degradation whereas the intervention group had hepatic nucleus without pyknosis, reduced mitochondrial swelling and slight structural damage than that of model group. RT-q PCR results showed that the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, CPTI, CPTII, Acot1, Acot2, ACOX, Cyp4a10 and Cyp4a14 were increased in the model group but the expression of CPTI, Cyp4a14, Acot1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha were decreased in the intervention group (P < 0.05).@*Conclusion@#Silybin-phospholipid complex can alleviate amiodarone-induced steatosis, and its mechanism may play a role in protecting mitochondrial function and regulating fatty acid metabolism. Thus, silybin-phospholipid complex has potential intervention effect on amiodarone-induced fatty liver.

Preparation and in vitro quality evaluation of silybin supersaturated self-microemulsion drug delivery system / 中草药

Objective: To develop and optimize the silybin supersaturated self-microemulsion drug delivery system (SLB-SSMEDDS) and improve the oral bioavailability of SLB in the biological medium. Methods: The formulation of SLB-SMEDDS was selected by solubility test, emulsifying ability of emulsifier and pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to evaluate the performance of each prescription to screen the optimal ratio. The type and dosage of precipitation inhibitors (PPIs) was optimized to maintain the supersaturation and duration of drugs in biological media in vitro; Finally, the emulsification effect, emulsion size and surface morphology of SLB-SSMEDDS was comprehensively evaluated in terms of in vitro release and in vitro supersaturation. Results: The SLB-SSMEDDS prescription was Capryol 90-Cremophor RH-Transcutol HP-HPMC-AS MF (10:67.5:22.5:2). The self-microemulsion with a drug loading of 50.19 mg/g was uniform and the emulsion droplets were spherical in shape and uniform in size. And the emulsification time was (30.67 ± 4.16) s, the average particle size was (11.67 ± 0.81) nm, and the PDI was (0.15 ± 0.04). The dissolution rate of SLB-SSMEDDS in FaSSGF and FaSSIF-V2 was significantly increased. And the in vitro dilution and supersaturation could be maintained above 10 within 120 min. Conclusion: SLB-SSMEDDS has a simple preparation process and can improve the stability of traditional SMEDDS, maintain supersaturation effectively and enhance the dissolution of SLB in vitro.

Absorption mechanism of silybin in human intestinal Caco-2 cells / 中国药科大学学报

@#The aim of this paper was to investigate the absorption mechanism of silybin(SLB)in Caco-2 cells. Concentrations of samples in the study were determined by developing LC/MS/MS method of SLB, propranolol and atenolol in HBSS buffer to calculate apparent permeability coefficient(Papp). When Caco-2 cells were cultured to the 21st day, the TEER were above 350 Ω ·cm2. The Papp of Lucifer yellow was far less than 1 × 10-7 cm/s. As the positive control drugs, The Papp of atenolol and propranolol were similar to those reported in the literature, indicating that the Caco-2 monolayer model was successfully established in this experiment. The Papp(AP-BL) of SLB at 5, 20, and 50 μg/mL were all more than 2×10-6 cm/s, which showed that SLB was a moderately permeable drug. The efflux ratio was greater than 2 indicating the efflux transporter may be involved in the absorption process of SLB. The Papp of silybin-N-meglumine was similar to that of SLB, suggesting that salt formation did not alter the membrane permeability of SLB. In conclusion, the membrane permeability of SLB is good, and its solubility is low. SLB is a BCS class 2 drug. The release of SLB in the gastrointestinal tract is an important factor in its absorption process.

Synthesis and hepatoprotective activity of Mannich base derivatives of silybin / 药学学报

Two novel Mannich base derivatives of silybin, SLB-DEA and DHSLB-PIP, were designed and synthesized. All the structures of new Mannich base derivatives of silybin were characterized by 1H NMR and HR-MS. Their protective action against CCl4-induced liver injury in mice were investigated. The changes of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) were determined and the histopathological changes in liver tissues were examined. Pretreatment with a higher dosage of DHSLB-PIP (40 mg·kg-1) prevented CCl4-induced liver injury as indicated by the reduced levels of ALT, AST, LDH and TG. Meanwhile, liver histopathological improvement was observed in the model groups. The pharmacokinetics study in rats showed that the relative bioavailability of SLB-DEA and DHSLB-PIP were 172.5% and 259.8% compared with silybin. All the results suggest that SLB-DEA and DHSLB-PIP may protect liver against injury by CCl4 and the relative bioavailability was significantly increased, which is worth of further investigation for their druggability.

Determination of Silybin B in the Different Parts of Silybum marianum using HPLC-UV

Silymarin is the standardized extract from Silybum marianum which consists mainly of flavonoids and polyphenols. It is highly regarded for its hepatoprotective ability. Silybin B is a flavonolignan and one of the active components of silymarin. The content of silybin B in various parts of S. marianum was analyzed by HPLC-UV. Results show that the extract of seeds contain the highest amount of silybin B (7.434 mg/g DW). The petioles of S. marianum showed a low content of silybin B. This study revealed that seeds of S. marianum contain high amount of silybin B and could be a good source of the compound.

Study on chemical constituents from Carpesium faberi / 中草药

Objective: To investigate the chemical constituents from the whole plant of Carpesium faberi. Methods: Compounds were isolated by various chromatographic techniques, including silica gel, ODS, sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC, and their structures were identified by comparison of their experimental spectroscopic data with their reported data. Results: The phytochemistry investigation led to the isolation of 12 compounds, and their structures were elucidated as ent-kaurane-3β,16β,17-triol (1), 3-(hydroxy-acetyl)-1H-indole (2), 8,9,10-trihydroxythymol (3), 8-hydroxy-9,10-diisobutyryloxy-thymol (4), neryl-β-D- glucopyranoside (5), (3S)-linalyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), (1R,2S,4S,5R)-2,5-dihydroxy-p-menthane (7), luteolin (8), apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (9), medioresinol (10), pinoresinol (11), and a mixture of silybin and isosilybin (12). Conclusion: All compounds except compound 7 are not only isolated from this plant for the first time, but also from this genus for the first time.

Modulation of fructo-oligosaccharide during silybin-meditated improvement of nonalcoholic fatty liver / 中国药理学通报

Aim To examine weather fructo-oligosaccharides(FOS) and silybin(Sil) could exhibit synergetic effect on treating obesity-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).Methods Seventy mice were randomly divided into two groups:control group (NCD,fed with normal chow diet),the other sixty mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) to establish NAFLD model.Seventy days after the establishment of experimental model,the latter group was then randomly subdivided into six groups:model (HFD),Sil (30mg· kg-1),FOS (2 000 mg · kg-1),Sil (30 mg ·kg-1) combined with FOS of high,medium and low dose respectively.The NCD and HFD group were given 0.5％ CMC,and the other groups were fed with high-fat diet and given 10 mL · kg-1 by gavage daily,then body weight and food intake were recorded.Fasting blood glucose,insulin,homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistence index (HOMA-IR) and oral glucose tolerance tests(OGTT) were measured after 120 days.All mice were sacrificed after 130 days,and blood and liver were collected.Levels of TC,TG,ALT,AST in serum were detected,and liver index and pathology were also examined.Results FOS (2 000 mg · kg-1) showed obvious synergism for Sil-mediated attenuation of levels of TC,TG,ALT,AST in serum,fasting blood glucose,insulin,HOMA-IR,OGTI curve,liver index and pathology,but FOS (4 000 mg · kg-1) could not bring superiority with a double dose,except for its improvement in body weight of mice with NAFLD.Conclusions In the treatment of NAFLD,FOS exhibits synergetic effect with Sil.This agent might be a potent candidate for obesity and NAFLD prevention,through modulating the composition of gut microbiota.

Observation of clinical efficacy of silybin combined with nucleotides in the treatment of viral hepatitis with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 中国基层医药

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of silybin combined with nucleotides in the treatment of viral hepatitis associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Methods 88 viral hepatitis patients with NAFLD were randomly selected into the clinical research,and they were divided into groups according to the order of treatment.Among them 44 cases of single number were the control group treated with nucleoside(acid) drugs,44 cases of double number were the observation group treated with silibinincombined silybin combined with nucleoside(acid).The therapeutic effect after the end of the course of treatment were was evaluated.Results The effective rate in the observation group was 90.91％,which that in the control group was 70.45％,the difference was statistically significant (x2 =8.87,P ＜ 0.05).The ALT,AST,r-GGT after treatment of the observation group were (37.14 ± 3.56) U/L,(30.45 ±3.35) U/L,(51.65 ± 3.46) U/L,which were significantly reduced than before treatment(t =8.01,8.72,7.80,all P ＜ 0.05),and the differences were significant compared with the control group (t =7.57,8.34,7.29,all P ＜ 0.05).The TG,TC of blood lipid indexes indices after treatment of the observation group were (1.48 ±0.26) mmol/L,(5.18 ± 0.86)mmol/L,which were significantly lower than those before treatment (t =7.62,8.14,all P ＜ 0.05),and the differences were significant compared with the control group (t =7.10,7.55,all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The combination of silybin and nucleotides in the treatment of viral hepatitis with NAFLD has significant effect,can significantly improve the clinical symptoms and liver function indicators,and gradually restore the level of blood lipids,it is worthy of promoting the application.

Preparation and evaluation of silybin nanocrystallines self-stabilizing Pickering emulsion / 药学学报

A new silybin nanocrystallines self-stabilizing Pickering emulsion (SN-SSPE) was developed using the high pressure homogenization method to improve the oral bioavailability of silybin. The influences of homogenization pressure from 50 to 120 MPa and drug content from 100 mg to 1000 mg on the formation of SN-SSPE were studied. The morphology, structure and size of emulsion droplet in SN-SSPE were characterized using scanning electron micrograph and confocal laser scanning microscope. SN-SSPE was evaluated, including stability, in vitro release and in vivo oral bioavailability. The particle size of silybin nanocrystallines (SN-NC) was decreased as the pressure increased until 100 MPa. When the drug content reached 300 mg or above, stable SN-SSPE was formed from sufficient SN-NC covering surfaces of oil droplets completely. The emulsion droplet of SN-SSPE with the size of 27.3±3.1 μm showed a core-shell structure consisting of oil droplet as core and SN-NC as shell. SN-SSPE showed a high stability over 40 days. In vitro release rate of SN-SSPE was faster than silybin coarse powder and similar to silybin nanocrystallines suspension (SN-NCS). After intragastric administration in rats, the peak concentration of SN-SSPE was increased by 2.5-fold and 2.3-fold compared with SN-NCS and silybin coarse powder, respectively. The AUC of SN-SSPE was increased by 1.4-fold and 3.8-fold compared with SN-NCS and silybin coarse powder, respectively. All these results showed that nanocrystallines of the poorly soluble drug could stabilize Pickering emulsions, which provides a promising application to the improvement of the oral bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.

Clinical curative effect and safety of Silybin-nanosuspension in the treatment of liver tumor / 中国生化药物杂志

Objective To study the clinical efficacy and safety of Silybin-nanosuspension in the treatment of liver cancer.Methods 56 patients with liver tumor were collected from February 2014 to May 2015 in our hospital,and all patients were randomly divided into treatment group(n=24)and control group(n=32).The treatment group was treated with oral Silybin-nanosuspension 360mg(Silybin)and control group was treated with Silybin capsule 360mg(Silybin),once a day.The treatment was over once the following conditions appear,the disease progression,or intolerable toxicity,or the lesion site can be treat with surgery,or patient death.Evaluating the efficacy through comparing the data of objective response rate,disease control rate, progression-free survival and overall survival,and record the adverse reactions through measuring the values of indicators of blood toxicity ( leukocytes, neutrophils,platelets and hemoglobin ) and the liver function parameters ( Valley alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) .Results The objective response rate, disease control rate, progression-free survival and overall survival of treatment group were significantly better than control group(P<0.05),and the parameters of blood toxicity and liver function were no significant differences.Conclusion The Silybin-nanosuspension is safe and effective for the treatment of liver malignancies.

Silibinin-Induced Apoptosis and Downregulation of MicroRNA-21 and MicroRNA-155 in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have received much attention owing to their aberrant expression in various stages of cancer. In many biological processes, miRNAs negatively regulate gene expression, and may be useful in therapeutic strategies. The present study evaluated the effects of silibinin (silybin), a natural flavonoid, on miRNA expression and attempted to elucidate therapeutic targets in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. METHODS: The rates of cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined in silibinin-treated and untreated MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the expression levels of miR-21 and miR-155 were measured in MCF-7 cells after incubation with silibinin (100 µg/mL), and the putative targets of the miRNAs within the apoptotic pathways were predicted using bioinformatic approaches. The expression levels of some of these targets were evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS: Silibinin induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. qRT-PCR analysis revealed a decrease in miR-21 and miR-155 expression levels in silibinin-treated cells relative to the levels in the untreated cells. Potential miR-21 and miR-155 targets within the apoptotic pathways, such as CASP-9, BID, APAF-1, CASP-3, CASP-8, and PDCD4, were predicted by in silico analysis. qRT-PCR analysis showed upregulation of some of these potential targets including caspase-9 (CASP-9) and BID after silibinin treatment for 48 hours. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a correlation between the expression of miR-21 and miR-155, and MCF-7 cell proliferation. The antiproliferative activity of silibinin may partly be attributable to the downregulation of miR-21 and miR-155, and the upregulation of their apoptotic targets. Furthermore, the upregulation of CASP-9 and BID indicates that silibinin induces apoptosis through both the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways.