Preparation of allyl isothiocyanate nanoparticles, their anti‐inflammatory activity towards RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and anti‐proliferative effect on HT1376 bladder cancer cells

BACKGROUND Allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), a volatile and water‐insoluble compound present in several cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to possess several biological qualities such as anti‐bacterial, anti‐fungal, and anti‐cancer activity. In this study, water‐soluble allyl isothiocyanate nanoparticles (AITC‐NPs) were prepared by oil dispersed in water (O/W) microemulsion and complex coacervation techniques and evaluated for their anti‐inflammatory activity towards macrophage cell RAW 264.7 and anti‐cancer effect on human bladder cancer cell HT1376. RESULTS The AITC‐NPs with a particle size of 9.4 nm were stable during heating up to 110 °C or three freeze‐thawing cycles. No significant cytotoxicity was shown on Caco‐2 and intestine epithelial IEC‐6 cells at AITC‐NP doses ranging from 0.25 to 2 g L−1 (8.75–70 mg L−1 AITC). However, at 2 g L−1 dosage, AITC‐NPs could inhibit the growth of human bladder cancer cells HT1376 by 90%, while their low dosage at 0.25 g L−1 could inhibit migration ability by 83.7, 71.3, 58.4 and 31.4% after 4, 8, 12, and 24 h of incubation, respectively. Compared to AITC and NPs, AITC‐NPs showed a better inhibition on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced TNF‐α, IL‐6, NO and iNOS production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. CONCLUSION The results demonstrate the potential of AITC‐NPs as therapeutic agents for the treatment of bladder cancer and the enhancement of immune function. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry