Interaction study of 5- Fluorouracil with Bovine serum albumin by UV-Visible spectrophotometry

Introduction: 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is primary chemotherapeutic drug used for most colorectal, pancreatic and aggressive forms of breast cancers.  Serum albumin is major carrier protein and its binding with drugs is important to examine the change in pharmacokinetic properties which directly influence the bio availability, sustained drug release and toxicity of drugs.
Aim and objectives: The aim of the project is to perform a study on interaction of 5 - fluorouracil with bovine serum albumin employing the UV-Visible spectrophotometric method.
Methods: Interaction of 5-FU with BSA has been studied systematically using UV spectroscopy by fixing the carbonate buffer of pH 7.4 as solvent and at a suitable wavelength 230 nm and 275 nm. To gain an insight into the interaction of 5-FU with BSA, the spectra of the 5-FU and BSA were examined in the absence and presence of various concentrations of the 5-FU and BSA respectively at zero minutes and repeated in 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 90 minutes time interval. The changes in peak intensity, absorbance and shift in peaks were observed. The detectable differences were recorded. This method can be used successfully for the interaction study of 5-FU with BSA.
Results: Interaction study of 5-Fluorouracil with bovine serum albumin revealed that appreciable changes in absorbance, peak area and shifts in peak were observed which may be due to binding of drug with protein BSA.