Evaluation of in vitro release kinetics and mechanisms of curcumin-loaded cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate nanoparticles

Abstract

Introduction: Curcumin has remarkable pharmacological activities but remains clinically constrained due to its poor bioavailability as a result of insolubility. This has necessitated the search for natural inorganic materials for curcumin delivery. Cockleshells are external hard materials of marine animals often treated as unwanted wastes, which are excellent sources of calcium carbonate. This study aimed to synthesize cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate (aragonite) nanoparticles (CSCaCO 3 NP) for delivery of curcumin and to evaluate its kinetic release in vitro. Methods: CSCaCO 3 NP was synthesized and conjugated with curcumin (Cur-CSCaCO 3 NP) using a simple top down approach and characterized for its physicochemical properties as a potential curcumin carrier. The in vitro release profile was assessed using the dialysis bag membrane method. The release data were fitted to Korsmeyer-Peppas, Zero order, and Higuchi models to evaluate the mechanism(s) of the release pattern. Results: A spherical shaped CSCaCO 3 NP with a surface area of 14.48±0.1 m 2 /g, with mean diameter size of 21.38±2.7 nm and zeta potential of -18.7 mV, was synthesized and found to have high loading content and encapsulation efficiency. The FT-IR and XRD revealed fewer observable changes on the peaks after conjugation. The profile of the in vitro kinetic release demonstrated a sustained release, and which was best fitted to the Higuchi equation model. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the capacity of the synthesized CSCaCO 3 NP to encapsulate curcumin efficiently with a stable release in vitro. This provides insight into and rationale for the potential of CSCaCO 3 NP for curcumin delivery. Therefore, CSCaCO 3 NP holds great prospects in the preclinical framework for enhancing curcumin efficacy in oral therapeutic applications.

Facile Hydrothermal and Solvothermal Synthesis and Characterization of Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots from Palm Kernel Shell Precursor

“…CDs-EDA shows very sharp absorption peaks at 32.4° and 46.12°. In comparison, CDs-L-Ph peaks ere at 32.62°, 46.26°, and 66.78° at two theta angle measurements for diffraction angles between 32° and 47° for CDs-EDA and 30° to 70° for CDs-L-Ph, which is an indication of high crystallinity of the CDs samples [86]. Though the two CDs have similar optical properties and size, this difference may be due to the different dopants used in their fabrication.…”

“…The nanomaterials synthesized here in this research have similar shapes, particle size, and excitation/emission wavelengths at 360 nm/430 nm despite utilizing different dopants, and the different dopants may be responsible for the different levels of crystallinity and peak intensities of the CDs [1,65,75,83,84]. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique is a fundamental analytical process that helps in studying, determining, and identifying powdered heteroatoms dopped CDs structure, purity, and crystallinity [85,86]. The XRD was based on diffraction angles of 0°-100° at a scan rate of 2.00 (°/min) at room temperature.…”

“…Though the two CDs have similar optical properties and size, this difference may be due to the different dopants used in their fabrication. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique is a fundamental analytical process that helps in studying, determining, and identifying powdered heteroatoms dopped CDs structure, purity, and crystallinity [85,86]. The XRD was based on diffraction angles of 0 • -100 • at a scan rate of 2.00 ( • /min) at room temperature.…”

“…CDs-EDA shows very sharp absorption peaks at 32. [86]. Though the two CDs have similar optical properties and size, this difference may be due to the different dopants used in their fabrication.…”

Cockle shell-derived aragonite calcium carbonate nanoparticle for targeting cancer and breast cancer stem cells

“…The application of CACNP as a drug delivery system is summarized in Table 1. Cockle shell-derived calcium carbonate nanoparticles have successfully encapsulated cytarabine (Ghaji et al 2018), docetaxel (Hammadi 2017a (Mailafiya 2019b). CACNP has been successfully loaded with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs and their combination.…”