Preparation of Magnetic Nanoliposomes of Sesquiterpene-Rich Fraction from Cichorium glandulosum and Its Tissue Distribution in Mice

OBJECTIVE: To prepare and study the distribution of magnetic nanoliposomes of Sesquiterpene-Rich Fraction from Cichorium glandulosum (SRF-MLN) (under magnetic field) in the main organs of mice. METHODS: The SRF-MLN was prepared by ethanol injection-sonication precipitation method. The quality of its pharmaceutical properties was investigated by the active ingredient lactucin. The drug concentration and distribution of lactucin in different tissues and organs including whole blood, liver, heart, spleen, lung, and kidney were evaluated with Sesquiterpene-Rich Fraction from Cichorium glandulosum (SRF-LP) as a control. RESULTS: The prepared SRF-MLN was spherical and monodispersed with an average particle diameter of 65 ± 1 nm, encapsulation efficiency of 91.3% ± 1.5% (RSD% = 1.5), and drug loading rate of 4.7% ± 0.3% (RSD% = 0.7). Dispersion coefficient PDI was 0.157 and Zeta potential was −17.5 mV. The lactucin concentration of SRF-MLN after 10 min of intravenous injection in heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney was significantly higher than that of SRF-LP group. The AUC(0-12h) values of liver tissue were obviously higher than other tissues and MRT was significantly prolonged under the action of the magnetic field (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The prepared SRF-MLN can change the distribution of drugs in different tissues and organs, prolonging the action time of the drugs in the body, and it has certain specificity under the action of applied magnetic field.