Honey-Based Extracts and Their Microemulsions in the Treatment of Liver and Breast Cancers

Liquid-liquid fractionation was performed for two samples of honey, and the fractions were nanoencapsulated in microemulsions using the method of water dilution. The microemulsions were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity, and physicochemical stability under refrigeration conditions. The antiproliferative activity of extracts and their microemulsions was tested on HepG2 and MCF-7 cancer cells (liver and breast cancer cell lines, respectively). Results revealed successful preparation of the honey-loaded microemulsions with suitable particle sizes within 14 - 16 nm, homogenous dispersion with polydispersity index (PDI) ranging within 0.13 - 0.34, and neutral surface charge. Microemulsions displayed insignificant changes in their physicochemical properties after storage for 3 months. The nanoencapsulation of honey in microemulsion formulations led to significant decrease in the IC50 values (or up to 104 times increase in antiproliferative potency). Therefore it can be concluded that nanoencapsulation of honey extracts significantly potentiates their antiproliferative activity, thus presenting a possible powerful tool for cancer treatment.