Alkhatib et al., IJPSR, 2017; Vol. 8(12): 5373-5379. E-ISSN: 0975-8232; P-ISSN: 2320-5148 International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 5373 IJPSR (2017), Volume 8, Issue 12 (Research Article) Received on 18 June, 2017; received in revised form, 17 November, 2017; accepted, 22 November, 2017; published 01 December, 2017 IN VIVO EVALUATION OF THE ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF A WATER-IN-GARLIC OIL NANOEMULSION LOADED WITH DOCETAXEL Mayson H. Alkhatib * , Bashair M. Binsiddiq and Wadiah S. Backer Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. 42801, Jeddah 21551, Saudi Arabia. ABSTRACT: Docetaxel (Doc) is an antitumor drug used to treat various types of cancers. However, it has certain limitations in clinical use due to its side effects. The major objective of this study was to assess the antitumor activity and cardiotoxicity of the Doc loaded in a nanoemulsion formulated with the garlic oil (Doc-NEGO) in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice. One hundred mice were split into five groups (n = 20). Groups I and II served as untreated mice and untreated EAC-bearing mice, respectively. Groups III-V represented the EAC-bearing mice administered orally by Doc- NEGO, NEGO and Doc dissolved in distilled water, respectively. The antitumor activity included the measurement of the mean survival time (MST) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in the tumor ascetic fluid. The cardiotoxicity was identified by determining the serum enzymes and analyzing the oxidative stress in the heart tissue. It has been found that the z-average diameters of the nanoparticles of NEGO and Doc-NEGO, determined by the zetasizer, were 63.19 ± 1.85 nm and 110.43 ± 14.37 nm, respectively. The administration of NEGO in the EAC-bearing mice has enhanced the LDH activity in the ascetic fluid and ameliorated the heart enzymes when compared to the other groups. Treating the EAC-bearing mice with the Doc-NEGO has improved the MST of the mice (27.7 ± 11.63 days) relative to the MST of EAC-bearing mice treated with Doc-water (23.1 ± 1.52 days). In conclusion, NEGO holds a great potential as a nanocarrier for the Doc in improving its efficacy and eliminating its cardiotoxicity. INTRODUCTION: Cancer, which is the abnormal growth of the cells, is considered one of the most fatal diseases in the world 1 . Up-to-date, cancer therapy is facing challenges with the adverse side effects generated by the chemotherapeutic agents. In fact, it has been suggested to formulate the anticancer drugs in nanocarriers consisting of essential oils which have protective properties, i.e. QUICK RESPONSE CODE DOI: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.8(12).5373-79 Article can be accessed online on: www.ijpsr.com DOI link: http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.8 (12).5373-79 cardioprotective, hepatoprotective etc, and thereby would help in eliminating the toxic effect of the antitumor drugs on the healthy cells. Nanoemulsions (NEs) are heterogeneous systems that consist of the combination of two liquids, which largely differ in their surface tensions, by the aid of surfactants and/or co-surfactants and input of energy 2 . Depending on the fractions of the NE components, the oil would solubilize in the water (oil-in-water NE) if the water fraction is larger than the oil, whereas the water would solubilize in the oil (water-in-oil NE) if the oil fraction is more dominant. According to the composition of the NE, a wide range of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs would disperse in the NE formula. Keywords: Nanoparticles, Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, Zetasizer, Oxidative stress, lactate dehydrogenase Correspondence to Author: Mayson H. Alkhatib Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. 42801, Jeddah 21551, Saudi Arabia. E-mail: mhalkhatib@kau.edu.sa