The application of EDTA in drug delivery systems: doxorubicin liposomes loaded via NH(4)EDTA gradient

The applications of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) have been expanded from the treatment of heavy metal poisoning to chelation therapies for atherosclerosis, heart disease, and cancers, in which EDTA reduces morbidity and mortality by chelating toxic metal ions. In this study, EDTA was used in a drug delivery system by adopting an NH(4)EDTA gradient method to load doxorubicin into liposomes with the goal of increasing therapeutic effects and decreasing drug-related cytotoxicity. The particle size of the optimum NH(4)EDTA gradient liposomes was 79.4±1.87 nm, and the entrapment efficiency was 95.54%±0.59%. In vitro studies revealed that liposomes prepared using an NH(4)EDTA gradient possessed long-term stability and delayed drug release. The in vivo studies also showed the superiority of the new doxorubicin formulation. Compared with an equivalent drug dose (5 mg/kg) prepared by (NH(4))(2)SO(4) gradient, NH(4)EDTA gradient liposomes showed no significant differences in tumor inhibition ratio, but cardiotoxicity and liposome-related immune organ damage were lower, and no drug-related deaths were observed. These results show that use of the NH(4)EDTA gradient method to load doxorubicin into liposomes could significantly reduce drug toxicity without influencing antitumor activity.