Development of a novel ionic liquid-curcumin complex to enhance its solubility, stability, and activity

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Materials Science

Background:

• Poor water solubility limits the therapeutic efficacy of many drugs, including curcumin.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems is crucial for improving bioavailability and half-life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a curcumin-ionic liquid (CCM-IL) complex with enhanced solubility and stability.
• To explore a novel one-step emulsification and freeze-drying method for drug formulation.

Main Methods:

• A one-step emulsification and rapid freeze-drying technique was employed.
• An ionic liquid with a long carbon chain backbone was utilized as a surfactant.

Main Results:

• The developed CCM-IL complex exhibited significantly enhanced aqueous solubility (∼8 mg mL-1) compared to free curcumin (∼30 nM).
• The half-life (t1/2) of CCM-IL was substantially increased to ∼260 min, versus ∼20 min for free curcumin.
• The complex demonstrated ready dispersibility in water.

Conclusions:

• The developed one-step process effectively creates a curcumin-ionic liquid complex with dramatically improved solubility and stability.
• This method offers a promising strategy for enhancing the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.
• Ionic liquids can serve as effective surfactants for drug formulation.