Oral curative therapeutic study of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced mouse liver damage of chitosan-coated ursolic acid niosomes
Abstract Ursolic acid (UA), classified as a Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class IV compound, exhibits hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. In previous studies, niosomes have been shown to increase the bioavailability of BCS class IV drugs. Chitosan coating a...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-04571-7 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Ursolic acid (UA), classified as a Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class IV compound, exhibits hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. In previous studies, niosomes have been shown to increase the bioavailability of BCS class IV drugs. Chitosan coating also helps increase the systemic absorption of oral drug preparations. Hence, this study evaluated the oral efficacy of chitosan-coated UA niosomes in mice with N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced liver damage. Liver damage was induced by intraperitoneal administration of NDEA at a dose of 25 mg/kg body weight once a week for six weeks. These mice were orally administered UA niosomes at a dose of 11 mg UA/kg body weight every two days on a total of eight occasions. In vivo efficacy of chitosan-coated UA niosomes was evaluated based on the activities of serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and also serum bilirubin and albumin levels, while the repair of liver tissue was assessed via histological examination. Chitosan addition increased the particle size and polydispersity index, while reducing the ζ-potential of UA niosomes. The SGOT and SGPT activities of the UA niosomes (Nio-UA) and Nio-UA with chitosan coating (Nio-UA-Cs) did not differ significantly. In addition, serum bilirubin levels were decreased in the Nio-AU and Nio-AU-Cs treatment groups, but they were not significantly different from the negative control group. On the other hand, the albumin levels did not differ significantly among the groups. The qualitative assessment of liver histology revealed a lobular structure with a neater arrangement and pattern in Nio-UA-Cs-treated mice than in their Nio-UA-treated counterparts, highlighting superior repair of the liver tissue in the former. In conclusion, chitosan coating of Nio-UA improves the effectiveness of oral curative therapy in cases of liver damage in mice. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |