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We investigated the therapeutic effectiveness of the nanoparticle-encapsulated curcumin (CUR-NP) against sodium arsenite-induced hepatic oxidative damage in rats. The CUR-NP prepared by emulsion technique was spherical in shape with an encapsulation efficiency of 86.5%. The particle size ranged between 120 and 140 nm with the mean particle size being 130.8 nm. Rats were divided into five groups of six each. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 rats were exposed to sodium arsenite (25 ppm) daily through drinking water for 42 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with arsenic as in group 2, however, they were administered, empty nanoparticles, curcumin (100 mg/kg bw) and CUR-NP (100 mg/kg bw), respectively, by oral gavage during the last 14 days of arsenic exposure. Arsenic increased the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and caused histological alterations in liver indicating hepatotoxicity. Arsenic increased lipid peroxidation, depleted reduced glutathione and decreased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in liver. All these effects of arsenic were attenuated with both curcumin and CUR-NP. However, the magnitude of amelioration was more pronounced with CUR-NP. The results indicate that curcumin given in nano-encapsulated form caused better amelioration than free curcumin. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 628-637, 2015.

Arsenic exposure through drinking water causes oxidative stress and tissue damage in the kidney and brain. Curcumin (CUR) is a good antioxidant with limited clinical application because of its hydrophobic nature and limited bioavailability, which can be overcome by the encapsulation of CUR with nanoparticles (NPs). The present study investigates the therapeutic efficacy of free CUR and NP-encapsulated CUR (CUR-NP) against sodium arsenite-induced renal and neuronal oxidative damage in rat. The CUR-NP prepared by emulsion technique and particle size ranged between 120 and 140 nm, with the mean particle size being 130.8 nm. Rats were divided into five groups (groups 1-5) with six animals in each group. Group 1 served as control. Group 2 rats were exposed to sodium arsenite (25 ppm) daily through drinking water for 42 days. Groups 3, 4, and 5 were treated with arsenic as in Group 2; however, these animals were also administered with empty NPs, CUR (100 mg/kg body weight), and CUR-NP (100 mg/kg), respectively, by oral gavage during the last 14 days of arsenic exposure. Arsenic exposure significantly increased serum urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. Arsenic increased lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione content and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were depleted significantly in both kidney and brain. Treatment with free CUR and CUR-NP decreased the LPO and increased the enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant system in kidney and brain. Histopathological examination showed that kidney and brain injury mediated by arsenic was ameliorated by treatment. However, the amelioration percentage indicates that CUR-NP had marked therapeutic effect on arsenic-induced oxidative damage in kidney and brain tissues.

We explored whether nanoformulation of curcumin can cause better protective effect than free curcumin against arsenic-induced genotoxicity. Curcumin-loaded Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (CUR-NP) were prepared by emulsion technique. The CUR-NP were water soluble and showed biphasic release pattern. Rats were divided into 5 groups of 6 each. Group I served as the control. Group II rats were exposed to sodium arsenite (25 ppm) daily through drinking water for 42 days. Groups III, IV and V were maintained as in Group II, however, they were also administered empty nanoparticle, curcumin (100 mg/kg bw) and CUR-NP (100 mg/kg bw), respectively, by oral gavage during the last 14 days of arsenic exposure. On the 43rd day, genotoxic effects were evaluated in bone marrow cells. Arsenic increased chromosomal aberrations, micronuclei formation and DNA damage. Both free curcumin and CUR-NP attenuated these arsenic-mediated genotoxic effects. However, the result suggests that nanoformulation have better protective effect than free curcumin at the same dose level.

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