article · Scientific Reports
Breast cancer remains a major global health challenge with rising incidence. Propolis, a natural bee product recognised for antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, was evaluated as an Egyptian propolis extract and formulated within nanostructured lipid carriers to target breast cancer in a mouse model. Tested alone and alongside the conventional chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil, the nanoparticle formulation demonstrated stronger antitumour effects than the unformulated extract. It enhanced the expression of microRNA-223, which in turn elevated antioxidant levels, triggered programmed cell death, and suppressed pathways linked to tumour growth, inflammation, and blood vessel formation. Furthermore, pairing the propolis-loaded nanocarriers with 5-fluorouracil improved the effectiveness of the chemotherapy. These findings highlight that encapsulating propolis in nanostructured lipid carriers provides a viable strategy for targeted antitumour therapy or supportive adjuvant treatment.
Breast cancer rates continue to rise worldwide, creating an urgent need for more effective therapies that minimise toxic side effects. Enhancing conventional chemotherapy drugs with natural compounds can improve treatment outcomes and tolerability. This work demonstrates that nanotechnology can dramatically increase the therapeutic delivery and potency of natural extracts like propolis, offering potential avenues for improved, less toxic cancer therapies.
The research could enable adjuvant formulations designed to boost the efficacy of standard chemotherapeutic drugs such as 5-fluorouracil while mitigating side effects. Potential users include oncology drug developers and nanomedicine formulation companies. As the findings are restricted to in-vitro and mouse models, the technology is at an early research stage and requires extensive clinical evaluation before any commercial translation can occur.
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The most frequent malignant tumor in women is breast cancer, and its incidence has been rising every year. Propolis has been used for its antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to examine the effect of the Egyptian Propolis Extract (ProE) and its improved targeting using nanostructured lipid carriers (ProE-NLC) in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice, the common animal model for mammary tumors. EAC mice were treated either with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), ProE, ProE-NLC, or a combination of ProE-NLC and 5-FU. Their effect on different inflammatory, angiogenic, proliferation and apoptotic markers, as well as miR-223, was examined. ProE and ProE-NLC have shown potential anti-breast cancer activity through multiple interrelated mechanisms including, the elevation of antioxidant levels, suppression of angiogenesis, inflammatory and mTOR pathways, and induction of the apoptotic pathway. All of which is a function of increased miRNA-223 expression. The efficiency of propolis was enhanced when loaded in nanostructured lipid carriers, increasing the effectiveness of the chemotherapeutic agent 5-FU. In conclusion, this study is the first to develop propolis-loaded NLC for breast cancer targeting and to recommend propolis as an antitumor agent against breast cancer or as an adjuvant treatment with chemotherapeutic agents to enhance their antitumor activity and decrease their side effects. Tumor targeting by ProE-NLC should be considered as a future therapeutic perspective in breast cancer.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42709-7
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