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Published on: February 5, 2019
Loading of curcumin into macrophages using lipid-based nanoparticles.
Keitaro Sou1, Shunsuke Inenaga, Shinji Takeoka
1Advanced Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|December 8, 2007
Summary
Lipid nanoparticles effectively deliver curcumin, a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, to macrophages in bone marrow and spleen following intravenous injection.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Curcumin is a natural compound with known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties.
- Effective delivery of curcumin to target tissues remains a challenge due to its poor solubility and bioavailability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To formulate phospholipid vesicles (CmVe) and lipid-nanospheres (CmLn) embedding curcumin (Cm) for enhanced intravenous delivery.
- To evaluate the biodistribution and therapeutic potential of these nanoparticle formulations in targeting tissue macrophages.
Main Methods:
- Formulation of curcumin-loaded phospholipid vesicles and lipid-nanospheres.
- In vitro assessment of antioxidant activity (reactive oxygen species scavenging).
- Intravenous administration in rats and confocal microscopic analysis of tissue macrophages in bone marrow and spleen.
Main Results:
- Nanoparticle formulations successfully solubilized curcumin and demonstrated antioxidant capacity in vitro.
- Confocal microscopy revealed significant accumulation of curcumin in macrophages of the bone marrow and spleen 6 hours post-injection.
- Lipid-based nanoparticulates facilitated efficient intravenous delivery of curcumin to target macrophages.
Conclusions:
- Lipid-based nanoparticulates represent a promising strategy for improving the intravenous delivery of curcumin.
- The developed formulations show therapeutic potential for targeting macrophages, particularly in the bone marrow and spleen, for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory applications.
