Controlled Release of Curcumin from HPMC (Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose) Co-Spray-Dried Materials

In order to achieve the controlled release of curcumin, HPMC (hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose) was spray dried with curcumin and lactose. The spray-dried materials were pressed into tablets with a diameter of 8 mm, and their release characteristics in vitro were measured. In vitro experiments showed that the release of curcumin from the HPMC mixture was significantly slower due to the sustained-release property of HPMC as a typical excipient. The release profile of curcumin from the HPMC mixture was relatively stable for a controlled release. SEM images show that the HPMC co-spray-dried powders have crumpled surfaces due to the large molecular weight of HPMC. DSC, XRD, FTIR, N₂ adsorption, and TGA have been measured for the spray-dried curcumin materials. This work indicates that HPMC can be used as a controlled-release excipient for curcumin preparations.