Arezoo Gohari Mahmoudabad
1,2 
, Fatemeh Gheybi
3, Mohsen Mehrabi
2* , Alireza Masoudi
4, Zeinab Mobasher
5, Hamid Vahedi
6,7, Anneh Mohammad Gharravi
8, Fatemeh Sadat Bitaraf
9, Seyed Mahdi Rezayat Sorkhabadi
51 Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
2 Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
3 Department of Medical Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
4 Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
5 Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran
6 Clinical Research Development Unit, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
7 Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
8 Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Research Center, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
9 Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Silymarin proved to be a beneficial herbal medicine against many hepatic disorders such as alcoholic liver disease (ALD). However, its application is restricted due to its low bioavailability and consequently decreased efficacy. We herein used a nano-based approach known as “phytosome”, to improve silymarin bioavailability and increase its efficacy.
Methods: Phytosome nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized using thin film hydration method. NPs size, electrical charge, morphology, stability, molecular interaction, entrapment efficiency (EE %) and loading capacity (LC %) were determined. Moreover, in vitro toxicity of NPs was investigated on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) viability using MTT assay. In vivo experiments were performed using 24 adult rats that were divided into four groups including control, ethanol (EtOH) treatment, silymarin/EtOH treatment and silymarin phytosome/EtOH, with 6 mice in each group. Experimental groups were given 40% EtOH, silymarin (50 mg/kg) and silymarin phytosome (200 mg/kg) through the gastric gavage once a day for 3 weeks. Biochemical parameters, containing ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, GPx and MDA were measured before and after experiment to investigate the protective effect of silymarin and its phytosomal form. And histopathological examination was done to evaluate pathological changes.
Results: Silymarin phytosome NPs with the mean size of 100 nm were produced and were well tolerated in cell culture. These NPs showed a considerable protective effect against ALD through inverting the biochemical parameters (ALP, ALT, AST, GGT, GPx) and histopathological alterations
Conclusion: Silymarin phytosomal NPs can be used as an efficient treatment for ALD.