Grapefruit can be Used as Drug Delivery Vehicles: Study

Researchers at the University of Louisville have revealed how nanoparticles from grapefruit can be created with the help of natural lipids, and how it can be used to produce anti-cancer and other drugs to fight tumor cells.

Grapefruit has long been known for the health benefits it offers. With the current finding, scientists Huang-Ge Zhang, Qilong Wang and their team hope that they can change how medical therapies such as anti-cancer drugs are delivered to specific tumor cells.

"These nanoparticles, which we've named grapefruit-derived nanovectors (GNVs), are derived from an edible plant, and we believe they are less toxic for patients, result in less biohazardous waste for the environment, and are much cheaper to produce at large scale than nanoparticles made from synthetic materials," Zhang said in a press statement.

Through this study, the researchers have shown how GNV can carry therapeutic agents such as DNA/RNA, anti-cancer drugs and proteins such as antibodies. On treating animals with GNV, the adverse effects were low when compared to the treatment with drugs.

According to Zhang, GNV can be altered in order to target particular cells. It can be used as missiles to transfer a variety of therapeutic agents to destroy diseased cells.

The therapeutic potential of grapefruit-derived nanoparticles was confirmed with a Phase 1 clinical trial for treatment of colon cancer patients. Researchers observed no toxicity among those who orally consumed the anti-inflammatory agent curcumin encapsulated in grapefruit nanoparticles.

Further, the researchers plan to test if this technology can be implemented for treating inflammation-related autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis.