Dextran-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Loaded with Curcumin for Antimicrobial Therapies

Abstract

The current trend in antimicrobial-agent development focuses on the use of natural compounds that limit the toxicity of conventional drugs and provide a potential solution to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. Curcumin represents a natural bioactive compound with well-known antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. However, its hydrophobicity considerably limits the possibility of body administration. Therefore, dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles can be used as efficient drug-delivery supports that could overcome this limitation. The iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized through the microwave-assisted hydrothermal method by varying the treatment parameters (pressure and reaction time). The nanoparticles were subsequently coated with dextran and used for the loading of curcumin (in various concentrations). The drug-delivery systems were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD) coupled with Rietveld refinement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HR-TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), and UV-Vis spectrophotometry, as well as regarding their antimicrobial efficiency and biocompatibility using the appropriate assays. The results demonstrate a promising antimicrobial efficiency, as well as an increased possibility of controlling the properties of the resulted nanosystems. Thus, the present study represents an important step forward toward the development of highly efficient antimicrobial drug-delivery systems.

Zinc/Cerium-Substituted Magnetite Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

“…After the physicochemical characterization, the zinc/cerium-substituted nanostructures were biologically evaluated through in vitro ROS-Glo H 2 O 2 ( Figure 7 ) and MTT ( Figure 8 ) assays in order to assess their antioxidant and anticancer effects, respectively. As it can be observed, the 24-h timepoint witnesses increased levels of oxidative stress within the BHK cells, which is generally caused by an initial shock suffered by the cells after the introduction of a novel compound into the culture media [ 47 ]. However, the 72-h mark shows a decrease by more than a half for almost all types of nanoparticles.…”

Effects of Particle Size of Curcumin Solid Dispersions on Bioavailability and Anti-Inflammatory Activities

“…To prepare the C-SDs, we incorporated lecithin and decaglycerol monoester in C-SDs matrices as they are widely used as food-grade excipients and considered safe for oral administration [ 24 , 25 ]. The formation of C-SDs or any encapsulation process, in general, consists of two main steps: the emulsification of polymer substances containing encapsulated compounds using high-pressure homogenization [ 26 ] and the hardening of the nanoparticle surface through solvent evaporation [ 8 , 27 , 28 ]. However, these methods were not suitable for producing C-SDs in multiple particle sizes, especially using the same excipients, as CUR tends to form aggregates.…”

“…While it has various physiological benefits, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and lipid-lowering activities [ 1 , 2 ], these functions are often limited due to the low bioavailability of CUR [ 3 , 4 ]. Efforts have been made to improve the bioavailability of CUR [ 5 ]; among these, delivery strategies using solid dispersion techniques (i.e., CUR solid dispersions; C-SDs [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]) have gained increasing attention due to their promising efficiency.…”

Optimization of ultrasonic-assisted approach for synthesizing a highly stable biocompatible bismuth-coated iron oxide nanoparticles using a face-centered central composite design

“…These NPs are capable of modifying the outer surface characteristics while retaining the properties of the inner core [8] , [9] . To stabilize and functionalize Fe 3 O 4 NPs, researchers have investigated the possibility of coating their surface with organic molecules and polymers such as citric acid [10] , malic acid [11] , dextran [12] , and chitosan [13] . However, it has been stated that the use of chemicals to coat the NPs could be costly and potentially hazardous to the environment [14] .…”