# Liposomes as carriers for garlic oil delivery to increase anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in mice with ALI

## TL;DR

This study shows that encapsulating garlic oil in liposomes enhances its ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in mice with acute lung injury.

## Contribution

A novel liposomal formulation of garlic oil is developed and shown to be more effective than free garlic oil in treating ALI in mice.

## Key findings

- GO-lips showed improved physicochemical properties with a particle size of 175 nm and 70.74% encapsulation efficiency.
- GO-lips reduced lung inflammation, edema, and oxidative stress more effectively than free garlic oil in LPS-induced ALI mice.
- GO-lips activated the Nrf2 pathway, contributing to their protective effects against ALI.

## Abstract

ALI/ARDS are clinical syndromes with diverse etiological origins and are characterized by high mortality rates and a lack of specific therapeutic options. Garlic oil (GO) has been utilized in both culinary and medicinal applications for millennia. However, its complex chemical composition and inherent instability have limited further development and clinical application. We aimed to encapsulate GO within liposomes to increase its solubility and stability. The therapeutic efficacy of GO-loaded liposomes (GO-lips) against LPS-induced ALI was subsequently evaluated in vivo. A novel GO-lip formulation was developed, and its preparation process was optimized to ensure its stability and bioavailability. A murine model of LPS-induced ALI was established. The animals were randomly assigned to the normal control, LPS model, GO treatment, or GO-lip treatment group. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated by lung tissue histopathology, inflammatory cytokine quantification and oxidative stress biomarker measurement. PCR and molecular dynamics simulations were used to verify the ALI treatment-related pathways influenced by GO-lips. We successfully developed GO-lips using a novel fabrication method. GO-lips demonstrated favorable physicochemical characteristics, with a mean particle diameter of 175 ± 3 nm, a PDI of 0.27 ± 0.02, and an encapsulation efficiency of 70.74 ± 2.11%. Compared with the LPS model group, the GO-lip treatment group exhibited significant protection against LPS-induced ALI. GO-lips demonstrated greater efficacy than free GO, as evidenced by the improved lung histopathology, reduced pulmonary edema, decreased inflammatory responses, and attenuated oxidative stress. PCR analysis demonstrated that GO-lips significantly protect mice primarily via Nrf2 pathway activation. These findings suggest that liposomal encapsulation of GO increases its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, protecting against LPS-induced ALI. This research offers a novel clinical therapeutic approach for ALI and contributes to foundational knowledge supporting the development and utilization of GO-derived formulations.