TPGS-Transferrin Functionalized Polydopamine Nanocarriers Potentiate the Pharmacokinetics, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Carvacrol.
Mahata Rumi R, Modak Mrinmoyee M, Malakar Rimpa R, Karan Gouri G et al.
Poor aqueous solubility and rapid systemic clearance limit the therapeutic translation of carvacrol (CVC). Herein, we report the fabrication of carvacrol loaded, transferrin (Tf) and d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) functionalized polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs). We recently demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of CVC-PDA-TPGS-Tf against breast cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) and biodistribution analysis of this nanoconjugate in Swiss albino female mice. The results of PK and biodistribution analyses revealed markedly increased area under the curve (AUC) (1858 vs. 31,797 ng·min/mL) and maximum serum concentration (Cmax) (318 vs. 715 ng/mL), compared with free CVC. Biodistribution studies demonstrated preferential accumulation in the liver and kidneys with minimal penetration into the brain and spleen. The nanoconjugate displayed superior in vitro free radical scavenging activity against hydroxyl, superoxide, and nitric oxide species and an in vivo antioxidant effect relative to free CVC, and significantly attenuated inflammation in a murine paw edema model. Molecular docking suggested strong interactions of CVC with inflammation- and oxidative stress-related protein targets, consistent with the observed bioactivity. Collectively, these results demonstrate that TPGS-Tf-modified PDA nanocarrier effectively modulates the biological behavior of CVC, offering a promising nanoplatform for improving the pharmacological performance of hydrophobic phenolic therapeutics.