Development and Evaluation of Curcumin-loaded Elastic Vesicles as an Effective Topical Anti-inflammatory Formulation

Abstract

Abstract. Curcumin has diverse biological activities including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, its clinical use for topical application is limited due to its poor aqueous solubility and thus, minimal cutaneous bioavailability. Elastic vesicles (EVs) of curcumin were prepared to improve its cutaneous bioavailability and to use it for topical anti-inflammatory effect. Ex vivo skin permeation and retention studies were performed to check if incorporation of curcumin into EVs could improve its permeation into and retention in the skin. Evaluation of acute and chronic anti-inflammatory effect was done using xylene-induced acute ear edema in mice and cotton pellet-induced chronic inflammation in rats, respectively. A significant improvement in flux (nine times) across murine skin was observed when aqueous dispersion of curcumin (flux−0.46±0.02 μg/h/cm 2 ) was compared with curcumin-loaded EVs (flux−4.14±0.04 μg/h/cm 2 ). Incorporation of these curcumin-loaded EVs into a hydrophilic ointment base resulted in higher skin retention (51.66%) in contrast to free curcumin ointment (1.64%) and a marketed formulation (VICCO® turmeric skin cream). The developed ointment showed an effect similar (p<0.05) to the marketed diclofenac sodium ointment (Omni-gel®) in suppression of acute inflammation in mouse; a significant inhibition (28.8% versus 3.91% for free curcumin) of cotton pellet-induced chronic inflammation was also observed. Thus, curcumin-loaded EVs incorporated in hydrophilic ointment is a promising topical anti-inflammatory formulation.

Photochemical inhibition of Trichophyton rubrum by different compoundings of curcumin

“…Obviously the galenic preparation of curcumin is decisive for its effects and should be specially fitted to the use as a photochemical inhibitor of dermatophytes. Besides micellar curcumin many other technical alternatives are available to generate water‐soluble preparations of curcumin, including cyclodextrin‐complexed curcumin, nanoparticle curcumin and curcumin quantum dots . The one ideally suited for photochemical treatment of tinea still needs to be determined.…”

Folic acid functionalized long-circulating co-encapsulated docetaxel and curcumin solid lipid nanoparticles: In vitro evaluation, pharmacokinetic and biodistribution in rats

“…Curcumin (CRM) is a natural polyphenol found in rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric). CRM has been reported to exhibit that several pharmacological activities including antiinflammatory, antineoplastic, chemopreventive activities have been reported for CRM and found to be safe even at high doses (Agrawal et al, 2014). Further, it inhibits the proliferation of several tumor types by blocking activity of NF-kB and anti-apoptotic proteins, including Bcl-2.…”

Cur-Ca-Thione: A Novel Curcumin Concoction With Enhanced Water Solubility and Brain Bio-Availability

“…Curcumin has been proved to have significant anti-oxidant, antiinflammatory, neurodegenerative and many other disorders but is not prescribed therapeutically due to its low bioavailability [34,35]. Moreover, aqueous solubility is also an issue with curcumin leading to poor absorption via the oral route and thereby going to first-pass metabolism [36].…”