Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a main clinical hurdle for chemotherapy of cancer, and overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a key factor. In the present study, a new co-delivery system for reversing MDR was designed and developed. The system was composed of curcumin (Cur) and piperine (Pip) encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) with tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) and Brij 78 [(Cur+Pip)-SLNs]. TPGS and Brij 78 could sensitize MDR tumors by inhibiting the P-gp drug efflux system. The combination of Cur and Pip, when administered in SLNs formulations, resulted in a significant enhancement in cytotoxicity and allowed efficient intracellular delivery of the drugs in drug-resistant A2780/Taxol cells. This dual inhibitory strategy may have significant potential in the clinical management of MDR in cancer.