Design and Development of a Polymeric-Based Curcumin Nanoparticle for Drug Delivery Enhancement and Potential...

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Neuroscience
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Peripheral nerve injuries (PNI) affect millions, with current nerve conduits (NC) limited for larger gaps.
• Existing NCs lack bioactive agents like stem cells or growth factors due to safety and reproducibility issues.
• Curcumin shows potential for enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration (PNR) but suffers from poor stability and hydrophobicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a stable nanoscale delivery platform for curcumin using tannic acid (TA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP).
• To evaluate the physicochemical properties, biocompatibility, and cellular delivery of curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs).
• To assess the potential of CurNPs as a bioactive agent for peripheral nerve regeneration applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of curcumin nanoparticles (CurNPs) using tannic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone.
• Assessment of CurNP stability, degradation rates, and release kinetics in aqueous solutions.
• In vitro biocompatibility testing with neuronal (SH-SY5Y), Schwann (RSC-S16), and macrophage (J774 A.1) cells.
• Confocal fluorescence microscopy for evaluating cellular curcumin delivery.
• Oxidative stress study using hydrogen peroxide on J774 A.1 cells.

Main Results:

• CurNPs exhibited significantly improved colloidal and chemical stability, reduced degradation, and controlled release compared to free curcumin.
• CurNPs were biocompatible with neuronal, Schwann, and macrophage cells at tested concentrations.
• Confocal microscopy showed superior cellular uptake of curcumin when delivered via CurNPs.
• CurNPs demonstrated protective effects against oxidative stress in macrophage cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed TA/PVP nanoscale platform effectively enhances curcumin's stability and delivery.
• CurNPs show promising biocompatibility and cellular uptake, making them suitable for neuronal and glial cells.
• CurNPs represent a viable, stable, and effective bioactive agent for peripheral nerve regeneration in nerve conduit applications.