Nanomedicine (Lond.) (Epub ahead of print) ISSN 1743-5889
part of
Review
10.2217/nnm-2017-0102 © 2017 Future Medicine Ltd
Initially emerging as a widely used clinical antiparasitic drug, albendazole (ABZ) has
been increasingly recognized as an effective anticancer agent due to its outstanding
advantage, in other words, low toxicity to normal cells but high effectiveness against
parasites and some tumors. The major challenge is its poor water solubility and
subsequently low bioavailability. This article thus first reviews the brief achievements
in using ABZ to treat parasites and cancers, and summarizes the basic mechanisms of
action of ABZ. Then this article critically reviews recent nanotechnological strategies,
in other words, formulating/conjugating it with carriers into nanoformulations, in
practices of improving aqueous solubility and efficacy in treatment of tumors and
parasites. Our expert opinions in this field are provided for more effective delivery of
ABZ to treat tumors and parasites in vivo.
First draft submitted: 17 April 2017; Accepted for publication: 25 July 2017; Published
online: 28 September 2017
Keywords: albendazole•antiparasite•anticancer•nanoformulation•nanoparticles
Parasites and cancer cells have many proper-
ties in common [1] . Both can live and pro-
liferate unlimitedly in mammals and do not
have a regular signaling mechanism. They
are able to grow in the absence of exogenous
factors, and are resistant to apoptosis with
the ability to escape from the immune sys-
tem and disseminate around the body [2,3] .
They are also recognized as having common
antigens [4] . It is interesting to note that some
anticancer drugs, such as imatinib, cispla-
tin and antifolates, have been used against
parasites [2,5–7] , and some antiparasitic drugs,
such as manzamine A, suramin, artemisinin
and chloroquine, are applicable in cancer
therapy [6–9] .
Albendazole (ABZ) is an anthelmintic
agent from benzimidazole family with a
broad spectrum of applications against hyda-
tid cysts and neurocysticercosis [8,9] . Initially,
ABZ was used for antiparasitic effect in
1973 [10] , and widely used in clinical chemo-
therapy for many human cystic echinococco-
sis or hydatid diseases. Based on Australian
studies conducted in the 20th century, 47%
patients with cysts who were treated with
ABZ were considered as cured or improved,
while European studies, American studies
and other publications reported 76.3, 53 and
71.5% cure or improvement, respectively [11] .
In addition to cystic or hydatid diseases, ABZ
is the first choice therapy for microsporidi-
osis in AIDS, ascariasis, enterobiasis, hook-
worm infections and neurocysticercosis [12] .
According to a WHO report, between 1982,
when ABZ was introduced for human use,
and 2002 about 1 billion patients received
ABZ manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline plc.
and a further 200 million received generic
products [13] .
Recently, ABZ has attracted attention
as a potential anticancer agent. The activ-
ity against L1210 mouse leukemia cells was
reported in 1985 [14] , and Lacey demonstrated
cytotoxicity of ABZ against hepatocellu-
lar carcinoma cells [15] . Pourgholami et al.
Nanoformulations of albendazole as
effective anticancer and antiparasite
agents
Fatemeh Movahedi
1
, Li Li
1
,
Wenyi Gu
1
& Zhi Ping Xu*
,1
1
AustralianInstituteforBioengineering
&Nanotechnology,TheUniversity
ofQueensland,StLucia,QLD4072,
Australia
*Authorforcorrespondence:
Tel.:+61733463809
gordonxu@uq.edu.au