Effects of Bacterial Nanocellulose Loaded with Curcumin and Its Degradation Products on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

Abstract

Bacterial nanocellulose has found applications in tissue engineering, in skin tissue repair, and in wound healing. Its large surface area enables the adsorption of various substances. Bacterial nanocellulose with adsorbed substances can serve as a substrate for drug-delivery of specific bioactive healing agents into wounds. In this study, we loaded a bacterial nanocellulose hydrogel with curcumin, i.e., an important anti-bacterial and healing agent, and its degradation products. These products were prepared by thermal decomposition of curcumin (DC) at a temperature of 180 °C (DC 180) or of 300 °C (DC 300). The main thermal decomposition products were tumerone, vanillin, and feruloylmethane. Curcumin and its degradation products were loaded into the bacterial nanocellulose by an autoclaving process. The increased temperature during autoclaving enhanced the solubility and the penetration of the agents into the nanocellulose. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity and the antimicrobial activity of pure curcumin, its degradation products, and finally of bacterial nanocellulose loaded with these agents. In vitro tests performed on human dermal fibroblasts revealed that the degradation products of curcumin, i.e., DC 180 and DC 300, were more cytotoxic than pure curcumin. However, if DC 300 was loaded into nanocellulose, the cytotoxic effect was not as strong as in the case of DC 300 powder added into the culture medium. DC 300 was found to be the least soluble product in water, which probably resulted in the poor loading of this agent into the nanocellulose. Nanocellulose loaded with pure curcumin or DC 180 exhibited more antibacterial activity than pristine nanocellulose.

Research Progress of Bioinspired Nanostructured Systems for the Treatment of Ocular Disorders

“…BNC has the advantages of a large surface area, high porosity, ease of sterilization, excellent tensile strength, and good biocompatibility, and has been used in tissue engineering, skin tissue repair, and wound healing. Zikmundova et al [ 18 ] reported the BNC could not only enhance the solubility and the penetration of the anti-bacterial and healing agent curcumin when prepared at a high temperature, it could also reduce the cytotoxic of curcumin for human dermal fibroblasts and enhanced the antibacterial activity. Not only that, studies have shown that the microenvironment is not limited to a low pH of the bacterial infection lesion and biofilm makes it possible to design a smart targeted and responsive nanocarrier for antimicrobial therapy [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Advanced Functional Materials Based on Nanocellulose for Pharmaceutical/Medical Applications

“…The cytotoxicity of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) was evaluated by Zikmundova et al [ 191 ] on a bacterial nanocellulose hydrogel loaded with curcumin and its degradation products (DC: vanillin, tumerone, and feruloylmethane), in view of the potential application in wound dressing. In vitro tests performed on human dermal fibroblasts revealed that the cytotoxicity of the materials depended strongly on the concentration of the antibacterial agents and that the degradation products of curcumin are more cytotoxic than pure curcumin.…”

Mucoadhesive capsules based on bacterial nanocellulose and chitosan as delivery system of turmeric extract

“…BNC serves as an efficient drug delivery system for bioactive compounds due to its mechanical attributes, biocompatibility, adsorption capacity, and delivery efficiency [ 2 ]. It has also been utilized for encapsulating natural extracts, such as curcumin, to enhance their bioavailability [ 3 , 4 ]. Notably, BNC has received recognition as a safe substance by the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1992 and has found applications as a dietary fiber [ 5 , 6 ], food additive, and food substitute, offering benefits such as reduced calorie and fat intake, improved formulation viscosity and stability, and reduced moisture loss from food products [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from partial deacetylation of chitin, has surfaced as a mucoadhesive [ 12 ]. Comprising 2-acetamide-2-deoxy-β- d -glucose and 2-amine-2-deoxy-β- d -glucose units [ 7 , 13 ], chitosan stands out for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ability to generate mucoadhesion via its positive surface charge [ 4 , 5 ].…”

“…However, the low solubility and pharmacokinetic profile of curcumin necessitate high doses for therapeutic efficacy, limiting its clinical relevance [ 20 , 21 ]. Strategies to overcome these limitations, such as encapsulation systems for optimizing bioavailability, have been developed [ 4 , 24 ].…”