Traditionally, chen su – the Chinese toad venom – has been used in China and other Asian countries to treat sore throat, swelling, pain, skin problems and even heart failure. The major biologically active constituents, bufadienolides, stimulate myocardial contraction and have anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects. However, their use is limited due to poor solubility and stability.

Xing Tang, and co-workers, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China, show that these problems can be overcome when bufadienolides are incorporated in the interior oil phase of lipid microspheres prepared from lecithin and medium-chain triglycerides. In addition to improving the stability by protecting bufadienolides from hydrolysis, encapsulation in lipid microspheres might also reduce the side effects associated with administration of the active constituents.

• Intravenous bufadienolides-loaded lipid microspheres for improving chemical stability
  Y. Weng, F. Li, W. Chen, Y. Miao, X. Tang,
  Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 2010, 112, 1190–1199.
  DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201000387