Abstract:

Objective　The aim of this studywas to investigate the delivery of Cucurbitacin BEto cervical lymph nodes by peri-cancer submucosal injection of the average diameter 85nm Cucurbitacin BE polylactic acid nanoparticles (CuBE-PLA-NP). Methods　Cervical lymph node metastasis model of mice oral cancerwas established and CuBE-PLA-NP and CuBEwere injected in pericancer submucosal of the mice respectively, the concentration in blood、heart、liver、spleen、lung、kidney and cervical lymph node were measured by high performance liquid chromatography at fifteen time points, Targeted cervical lymph nodeswere evaluat- ed by targeting index, selectivity index, targeting efficiency, relative targeting efficiency and ratio of maximum concentration.Re- sults　(1)The CuBE concentration in the cervical lymph nodes after CuBE-PLA-NP injectionwas far higher than that after CuBE injection at every time point, the CuBE duration in the cervical lymph nodes in CuBE-PLA-NP group was far longer than that in CuBE group;(2)The five targeted values of the cervical lymph nodes in CuBE-PLA-NP group was far higher than that in CuBE group;(3)The CuBE concentration in blood、heart、liver、spleen、lung and kidney in CuBE-PLA-NPgroupwas far lowerthan that in CuBE group.Conclusion　The CuBE-PLA-NP can specifically deliver CuBE to the cervical lymph nodes by pericancer submuco- sal injection, increase CuBE concentration and duration in metastasized cervical lymph nodes, and decrease drug concentration of other organs.

Key words: nanoparticles, oral cancer, lymph nodes, targeted therapy, drug delivery system