Pluronic-Based Mixed Polymeric Micelles Enhance the Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin

Abstract

Curcumin is a naturally occurring constituent of turmeric that is a good substitute for synthetic medicines for the treatment of different diseases, due to its comparatively safer profile. However, there are certain shortcomings that limit its use as an ideal therapeutic agent. In order to overcome these drawbacks, we prepared novel curcumin-loaded mixed polymeric micelles using different biocompatible polymers by the thin-film hydration method. We investigated the critical micelle concentration and temperature, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency, and minimum inhibitory concentration by spectrophotometry. Surface morphology, stability, particle size, drug-polymer interaction, and physical state of the prepared formulations were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, zeta potential, particle size analyzer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The drug loading and entrapment efficiency were significantly increased (P < 0.01) when curcumin was encapsulated with pluronic-based mixed polymeric micelles as compared to that of pluronic-based micelles alone. In vitro studies exhibited that pluronic-based mixed polymeric micelles significantly increased anticancer (P < 0.01), antimicrobial (P < 0.001), antioxidant (P < 0.001), and α-amylase inhibitory (P < 0.001) activities when compared to pure curcumin and/or pluronic-based micelles alone. These findings suggest that the formation of mixed polymeric micelles increases the stability and solubility of curcumin.

Physico-Chemical Characterization and Biopharmaceutical Evaluation of Lipid-Poloxamer-Based Organogels for Curcumin Skin Delivery

“…Several studies have been reported regarding the development of new skin delivery systems for CUR such as monoolein aqueous dispersion and lecithin ORGs (Esposito et al, 2014), liquid crystalline systems composed of OA, polyoxypropylene/polyoxyethylene cetyl alcohol (Fonseca-Santos et al, 2016), Pluronic F-127/P-123 micelles (Akbar et al, 2018), Pluronic F-127 hydrogel (Yen et al, 2018), and methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-block-poly (ε-caprolactone) (MPEG-PCL) hydrogels (Zhou et al, 2019) for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antileishmanial, and wound-healing purposes. However, the influence of structural parameters on drug permeation, the presence of OA, and association of polymers on AP have been not discussed.…”

Antiviral effect of phytochemicals from medicinal plants: Applications and drug delivery strategies

“…Zhang et al [94] aimed to improve the oral absorption of baicalin, which has low solubility and poor permeability, by using a micellar formulation comprised of the carriers Pluronic P123 copolymer and sodium taurocholate. Sustained release profile of baicalin-loaded mixed micelles, in in vitro drug release experiment, held in several pH conditions, showed 14% drug released after 2 h in gastric conditions and 54% release within 48 h in intestinal conditions, compared to 34% and 79% release [105], nanoparticles [106][107][108][109][110], phytosome [111], nanoliposome [112], mixed micelles [113,114], SNEDDS [115,116], nanocarrier [117,118], nanoemulsion [119], nanosuspension [ Mixed micelles [129,130], nanoparticles [131,132], solid dispersion [133,134] , SNEDDS [135] , SMEDDS [136], lipid carrier [137], copolymeric micelles [138], exosomes [139] Naringenin DENV, HCV SNEDDS [140], solid dispersion [141], nanoparticles [142,143] , liposome [144], nanosuspension [145,146] In vitro uptake studies, carried out with a caco-2 cell line, determined the absorption of baicalin within the mixed micelles and verified their internalization ability. Baicalin-loaded ST-P123-MMs formulation achieved high oral bioavailability (Fig.…”

Bioactivity, Health Benefits, and Related Molecular Mechanisms of Curcumin: Current Progress, Challenges, and Perspectives

“…To enhance the stability and bioavailability of curcumin, many studies focus on modifications of curcumin and its delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, micellation, and conjugation with other materials [ 193 , 194 , 195 ]. Such modifications can increase its stability, solubility, in vivo uptake, bioactivity, and safety [ 196 , 197 , 198 , 199 , 200 ].…”