Application of NMR and UV spectroscopy in the study of interactions between anticancer drugs and their phospholipid carriers

The aim of this work was to encapsulate two drugs: 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) with the amphiphilic properties and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with the hydrophobic properties into liposomes prepared by the modified reverse-phase evaporation method (mREV) from l-α-phosphatidylcholine dipalmitoyl (DPPC). Both drugs are used together in the anticancer multidrug therapy. We studied the competition for their encapsulation in liposomes by the use of two spectroscopies: 1H NMR and UV on the basis of the analysis of the signals of each drug in the liposome–drug system.We concluded that the mREV method allows us to obtain liposomes which may transport more than one drug simultaneously.The NMR and UV studies of the drug competitive encapsulation and transport in liposomes formed from DPPC by the mREV method should be the basis for the analysis of the changes which may occur in vivo.