Lactoferrin‐modified Betulinic Acid‐loaded PLGA nanoparticles are strong anti‐leishmanials
HighlightsBetulinic acid (BA) is a potential anti‐leishmanial compound.BA delivery by lactoferrin‐PLGA nanoparticle enhances its anti‐leishmanial effects.Lf‐BANPs lower IL‐10 but enhance iNOS expression to exert anti‐leishmanial effects. &NA; Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani, is a potentially fatal disease. The only orally bioavailable drug miltefosine is toxic and the effective liposomal Amphotericin B (AmBisome) is limited by its prohibitive cost and requirement for parenteral administration. Therefore, finding a new potential drug candidate and an alternative delivery system is imperative. We report that Betulinic acid (BA), a pentacyclic triterpenoid from Betula alba bark, was loaded onto uniformly spherical PLGA nanoparticles (BANPs; diameter 187.5 ± 5.60 nm) coated with Lactoferrin (Lf‐BANPs). The amastigotes count in macrophages was more effectively reduced by Lf‐BANP than BA and BANP. Lf‐BANPs reduced the pro‐parasitic, anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10, but increased nitric oxide (NO), production in L. donovani‐infected macrophages indicating that Lf‐BANP possesses a significant anti‐leishmanial activity.