Antitumoral activity of micellar solutions containing allyl isothiocyanate: an in vitro study

Introduction: Several natural products exhibit promising antineoplastic activity against bladder cancer cells, including allyl isothiocyanate (AITC). However, the AITC irritates the mucous membranes and induces eczematous or vesicular skin reactions. Thus, pharmaceutical formulations are necessary to overcome these problems. The aim was to develop micellar solutions containing AITC and investigate their antitumoral activity in bladder carcinoma cell lines. Method: The micellar solutions were prepared by cold dispersion method. Subsequently, we evaluated cytotoxicity, cell proliferation, cell cycle kinetics and long-term effects of micelles in bladder cancer cells. Results: Cytotoxicity and cell proliferation assays showed there was an increase in AITC activity when it was encapsulated in micelles. We also observed cell cycle arrest in the S phase after treatment with AITC-micelles. Furthermore, the formulation was able to maintain the long-term effects of free AITC. Conclusions: The micellar solutions developed can become an interesting approach for administration of AITC in the treatment of bladder cancer.