A lucid build-up of nanostructured curcumin, quercetin and their interaction with DNA

Nanostructured phyto-drugs such as curcumin and quercetin were prepared by simple sonochemical method and studied for their bio-activities. FT-IR spectra indicate that the chemical structures of these nanostructured drugs are identical with their commercially available microcrystalline counterparts. Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) analysis reveals that the curcumin and quercetin, form as nanocube and nanoneedle like structures respectively. These nanocrystalline drugs have enhanced solubility in neutral aqueous medium at room temperature and thus exhibit better bioavailability than their commercially available microcrystalline form. Their DNA interactions and the observed binding constants were investigated through UV-vis spectral technique. Nanocurcumin, due to its small size, exhibits significantly high DNA binding constant (1.2 x 10(6) M(-1)). The voltammetric and CD spectral changes observed for the nanocurcumin reveal its deep penetration into the core of the DNA through the minor grooves, where it forms H-bonds with the floor nitrogen/oxygen atoms of the DNA bases.