eng Oriental Scientific Publishing Company Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia 0973-1245 2025-12-30 22 4 1619 1627 10.13005/bbra/3464 56907 article Manisha Subhash Chavan 1 Rupesh Ashok Pingale 1 Bhushan Ashok Bhairav 1 Department of Pharmacy, NCRD’s Sterling Institute of Pharmacy, Navi Mumbai, India. This study aimed to enhance the therapeutic potential of luteolin, a natural flavonoid with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, its poor water solubility and limited oral absorption restrict clinical applications. To overcome these limitations, researchers have developed nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with luteolin to improve its solubility, stability, and bioavailability for oral administration. We prepared the NLCs using a hot emulsification–probe sonication method with Precirol ATO 5 (solid lipid) and Capmul MCM (liquid lipid). We employed a Central Composite Design (CCD) to optimize the formulation by varying lipid ratio, lipid concentration, and sonication time. The optimized NLCs showed a mean particle size of 166.0 nm, a zeta potential of –33.6 mV, and an entrapment efficiency of 86.43%. FTIR, DSC, and XRD characterization confirmed the encapsulation of luteolin in an amorphous state, without any chemical interaction with the excipients. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed spherical, uniform NLCs. In vitro release studies demonstrated that the NLCs provided sustained luteolin release for 36 hours, outperforming pure luteolin. Overall, the optimized NLCs significantly enhanced luteolin’s solubility, stability, and release behaviour, indicating strong potential as an efficient oral delivery platform. These findings suggest that luteolin-loaded NLCs could serve as a promising approach for improving therapeutic outcomes in breast cancer and related diseases. https://www.biotech-asia.org/vol22no4/development-and-in-vitro-characterization-of-luteolin-loaded-nanostructured-lipid-carrier/ Bioavailability; Central Composite Design (CCD); Entrapment efficiency; Luteolin; Nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC); Sustained release