ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To prepare a new dosage formulation of activated carbon nanoparticles adsorbing mitomycin C (MMC-ACNP) and evaluate the beneficial effects of intraperitoneally applied MMC-ACNP as a drug delivery system for lymphatic targeting in preventing metastasis and recurrence of gastric cancer. METHODS: MMC-ACNP was prepared. Acute toxicity after its intraperitoneal administration was evaluated. An experiment on nude mice model with transplanted human gastric cancer in 6 groups was completed to assess the effects of drugs on intra-abdominal carcinomatosis. RESULTS: The LD50 of MMC-ACNP was 46.80 mg/kg (in terms of MMC) while that of MMC aqueous solution was 9.33 mg/kg. The toxicity of MMC-ACNP was much less than that of the solution form. MMC-ACNP was superior to MMC aqueous solution in controlling carcinomatosis and tumor growth by intraperitoneal administration. Despite the high dose of MMC, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia were not observed in the MMC-ACNP treated group. Fine activated carbon particles adsorbing MMC entered the nuclei of tumor cells, so that the effects of the anticancer drug were reinforced. CONCLUSION: MMC-ACNP gives a good promise of clinical use due to its advantages such as high selectivity and low toxicity.
