Polyenylphosphatidylcholines as bioactive excipient in tablets for the treatment of liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a condition characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) arising from the myofibroblastic transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) occurring as the natural response to liver damage. To date, no pharmacological treatments have been specifically approved for liver fibrosis. We recently reported a beneficial effect of polyenylphosphatidylcholines (PPCs)-rich formulations in reverting fibrogenic features of HSCs. However, unsaturated phospholipids' properties pose a constant challenge to the development of tablets as preferred patient-centric dosage form. Profiting from the advantageous physical properties of the PPCs-rich Soluthin® S 80 M, we developed a tablet formulation incorporating 70% w/w of this bioactive lipid. Tablets were characterized via X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetry, and Raman confocal imaging, and passed the major compendial requirements. To mimic physiological absorption after oral intake, phospholipids extracted from tablets were reconstituted as protein-free chylomicron (PFC)-like emulsions and tested on the fibrogenic human HSC line LX-2 and on primary cirrhotic rat hepatic stellate cells (PRHSC). Lipids extracted from tablets and reconstituted in buffer or as PFC-like emulsions exerted the same antifibrotic effect on both activated LX-2 and PRHSCs as observed with plain S 80 M liposomes, showing that the manufacturing process did not interfere with the bioactivity of PPCs.