Formulation of More Efficacious Curcumin Delivery Systems Using Colloid Science: Enhanced Solubility, Stability, and Bioavailability

Abstract

Curcumin is a bioactive constituent isolated from turmeric that has historically been used as a seasoning, pigment, and herbal medicine in food. Recently, it has become one of the most commonly studied nutraceuticals in the pharmaceutical, supplement, and food areas because of its myriad of potential health benefits. For instance, it is claimed to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiparasite, and anticancer activities when ingested as a drug, supplement, or food. Toxicity studies suggest that it is safe to consume, even at relatively high levels. Its broad-spectrum biological activities and low toxicity have meant that it has been widely explored as a nutraceutical ingredient for application in functional foods. However, there are several hurdles that formulators must overcome when incorporating curcumin into commercial products, such as its low water solubility (especially under acidic and neutral conditions), chemical instability (especially under neutral and alkaline conditions), rapid metabolism by enzymes in the human body, and limited bioavailability. As a result, only a small fraction of ingested curcumin is actually absorbed into the bloodstream. These hurdles can be at least partially overcome by using encapsulation technologies, which involve trapping the curcumin within small particles. Some of the most commonly used edible microparticles or nanoparticles utilized for this purpose are micelles, liposomes, emulsions, solid lipid particles, and biopolymer particles. Each of these encapsulation technologies has its own benefits and limitations for particular product applications and it is important to select the most appropriate one.

Protective Effects of Curcumin on the Outcome of Cryopreservation in Human Sperm

“…Moreover, curcumin exhibits antioxidant activity by regulating transcription factors and antioxidant enzymes, such as haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), upregulating common antioxidative activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH)) and inhibiting cytokine production (e.g. interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 12 (IL-12)) [35][36][37].…”

Hydrogel Films Based on Chitosan and Oxidized Carboxymethylcellulose Optimized for the Controlled Release of Curcumin with Applications in Treating Dermatological Conditions

“…It is a good metal chelator, but previous studies have shown that curcumin-based metal complexes cause a decrease in their pharmacological action compared with free curcumin [ 34 ]. Curcumin can be protected from degrading factors by its encapsulation in various pharmaceutical formulations such as release systems based on natural and synthetic polymers, liposomes, micro/nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles [ 35 ]. Lipids associated with curcumin indeed increase bioavailability, but particles of this kind do not ensure a continuous, sustained release, even if the amount of immobilized curcumin is higher compared with biopolymers nanoparticles [ 36 , 37 ].…”

The Formation of Chitosan-Coated Rhamnolipid Liposomes Containing Curcumin: Stability and In Vitro Digestion

“…In this study, curcumin (Cur) was utilized as a model bioactive substance due to its good activity, such as antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory [ 15 ]. The use of curcuminoid is, however, extremely limited, owing to its poor water-solubility, easy chemical degradation, and low bioavailability [ 16 ].…”