Curcumin-Loaded Oil-Free Self-Assembled Micelles Inhibit the Influenza A Virus Activity and the Solidification of Curcumin-Loaded Micelles for Pharmaceutical Applications

Abstract

Curcumin, a well-known natural lipophilic phenolic compound, plays a vital role in inhibiting the influenza infection. Currently, many kinds of formulations for the enhancement of a water dispersion of curcumin have been developed; however, the anti-influenza abilities of formulated curcumin have been much less investigated. In this study, the optimized self-assembled micelles of RH 40/Tween 80 loaded with curcumin (Cur-M) in an oil-free-based system were spherical with a hydrodynamic size at 13.55 nm ± 0.208 and polydispersity at 0.144 characterized by atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering, respectively. Additionally, Cur-M significantly increased the bioactivity/stability of curcumin and effectively inhibited the influenza A virus infection and its replication after viral entry, indicating the alteration of the inhibition mechanisms of curcumin against virus infection via RH 40/Tween 80 micelle formulation. Furthermore, a solid formulation (Cur-SM) of Cur-M was successfully developed by a one-pot physical adsorption method using a small amount of adsorbent and ~50% of curcumin/Cur-M that could be burst released from Cur-SM in 1 h, facilitating the fast-releasing applications. Ultimately, all of the results show that Cur-SM acts as a good nano-formulation of curcumin with improved solubility/dispersity in aqueous solutions and demonstrate new anti-influenza mechanisms of curcumin for pharmaceutical development.

Microcurrent Cloth-Assisted Transdermal Penetration and Follicular Ducts Escape of Curcumin-Loaded Micelles for Enhanced Wound Healing

“…Similar results were obtained in a previous study in which Kolliphor RH40 and Tween 80 were used as surfactants and cosurfactants to successfully prepare small micelle formulations. 52 The compositions and particle size analysis of empty micelles with small particle sizes (EM-S) and CM-S performed by the DLS method are summarized in Table 1 . As shown in Figure 4A2 and Table 1 , EM-S and CM-S showed small average diameters of 10.27±0.11 nm and 17.16±0.77 nm along with narrow polydispersity indices (PDIs) of 0.110±0.004 and 0.194±0.009, respectively.…”

“…Empty micelles (EMs) and CMs were prepared using a modified self-assembly technique. 52 Generally, Cur was dissolved in solvent (ethanol) at 60°C as the core phase. The shell phase consisting of surfactant or cosurfactant was then added to the core phase with violent stirring at 60°C.…”

Repositioned Natural Compounds and Nanoformulations: A Promising Combination to Counteract Cell Damage and Inflammation in Respiratory Viral Infections

“…The pharmacokinetic advantage of the use of nanoformulations was also highlighted in other in vitro studies, including one by Li et al [ 160 ]. In this research, curcumin-loaded self-assembled micelles demonstrated considerable benefits over the molecule in bulk form.…”