PEG-PCL Nanocapsules Containing Curcumin: Validation of HPLC Method for Analyzing Drug-loading Efficiency, Stability Testing and Cytotoxicity on NIH-3T3 Cell Line

Abstract

Curcumin (CUR) shows potential use for treating cancer. However, CUR has low solubility and reduced bioavailability, which limit its clinical effect. Therefore, the development of nanocarriers can overcome these problems and can ensure the desired pharmacological effect. In addition, it is mandatory to prove the quality, the efficacy, and the safety for a novel nanomedicine to be approved. In that sense, this paper aimed (a) to prepare CUR-loaded polyethylene glycol-poly(ε-caprolactone) nanocapsules; (b) to validate an analytical method by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for quantifying CUR in these nanoformulations; (c) to evaluate the physicochemical stability of these formulations; and to investigate their cytotoxicity on NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblast cells. The HPLC method was specific to CUR in the loaded nanocapsules, linear (r = 0.9994) in a range of 10.0 to 90.0 µg.mL-1 with limits of detection and quantification of 0.160 and 0.480 µg.mL-1 , respectively. Precision was demonstrated by a relative standard deviation lower than 5%. Suitable accuracy (102.37 ± 0.92%) was obtained. Values of pH, particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential presented no statistical difference (p > 0.05) for CUR-loaded nanoparticles. No cytotoxicity HIGHLIGHTS  A simple and low-cost HPLC method for determining curcumin in nanocapsules was validated.  PEG-PCL nanocapsules containing curcumin showed suitable stability over 60 days.  No cytotoxicity was observed against NIH-3T3 mouse embryo fibroblast cell line.  PEG-PCL nanocapsules containing curcumin can be further investigated for cancer treatment. 2 Rudnik, L.A.C.; et al.