Advancing Liposomal Coating Approaches for Improved Anticancer Drug Delivery

Abstract Quercetin, a natural flavonoid with antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer properties, faces limitations in clinical application due to its poor solubility and bioavailability. This study presents a novel delivery system utilizing a combination of polyoxyethylene (100) stearyl ether and folic acid to enhance quercetin's effectiveness. We developed folate‐conjugated polyoxyethylene (100) stearyl ether‐coated liposomes (FA‐Brij‐LPs) to leverage the unique properties of polyoxyethylene (100) stearyl ether in conjunction with folic acid for targeted delivery. The FA‐Brij‐LPs were prepared using the thin‐film hydration method and characterized for their physicochemical properties, including size, zeta potential, and drug loading capacity. The optimized FA‐Brij‐LPs exhibited a mean particle size of 147.57 nm, a zeta potential of 32.20 mV, and a drug loading capacity of 9.33 %. In vitro studies demonstrated sustained quercetin release and significantly enhanced cellular uptake compared to free quercetin. The Resazurin cell viability assay further revealed superior anticancer efficacy of FA‐Brij‐LPs. This innovative approach underscores the effectiveness of combining polyoxyethylene (100) stearyl ether with folic acid in enhancing quercetin delivery and its potential applications in cancer therapy.