Protective effects of liposomes encapsulating ferulic acid against CCl<sub>4</sub>-induced oxidative liver damage <i>in vivo</i> rat model

Antioxidants are useful for the treatment of oxidative stress mediated liver damage. A naturally occurring antioxidant γ-oryzanol is rapidly hydrolyzed to its active hydrophobic metabolite, ferulic acid, inside the body. Limitations associated with the hydrophobicity of ferulic acid can be overcome by encapsulating in a liposomal formulation. As intravenously administered nanoparticles (including liposomes) can effectively reach the liver, such systems may be suitable drug delivery carriers to treat liver injury. In this study, we prepared a liposomal formulation of ferulic acid (ferulic-lipo) and examined its effects on liver damage induced by CCl. Ferulic-lipo were ~100 nm in size and drug encapsulation efficiency was about 92%. Ferulic-lipo showed potent scavenging efficacy against hydroxyl radical compared to α-tocopherol liposomes. Ferulic-lipo significantly prevented CCl-mediated cytotoxicity in human hepatocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, intravenous administration of ferulic-lipo significantly reduced alanine aminotransferase and aspartate amino transferase levels in a rat model of liver injury. CCl-mediated reactive oxygen species generation in liver was also reduced by intravenous administration of ferulic-lipo. Hepatoprotective effects of ferulic-lipo were demonstrated by histological observation of CCl-induced liver tissue damage. Therefore, ferulic-lipo exhibit potent antioxidative capacity and were suggested to be an effective formulation for prevention of oxidative damage of liver tissue.