Copper-Based Metal Organic Frameworks for Controlled Curcumin Delivery and Antimicrobial Activity

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable properties for drug delivery.
• Curcumin, a natural compound, possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
• Developing effective drug delivery systems for curcumin is crucial for its therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize curcumin-loaded HKUST-1 (a copper-based MOF).
• To evaluate its potential as a multifunctional platform for biomedical applications.
• To investigate the effect of curcumin loading ratios on material properties and biological activity.

Main Methods:

• Solvothermal synthesis of HKUST-1.
• Curcumin loading into HKUST-1 at various mass ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3).
• Characterization using FTIR, X-ray diffraction, TGA, and BET analysis.
• Biological evaluation including antioxidant assays, MTT assays, and antibacterial tests.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of curcumin-loaded HKUST-1, preserving its crystalline structure.
• The 1:1 curcumin:HKUST-1 ratio exhibited the highest drug loading capacity and efficiency.
• Curcumin-loaded HKUST-1 demonstrated concentration-dependent antioxidant activity (62.22% radical scavenging at 200 μg/mL).
• Excellent antibacterial performance against E. coli and S. aureus (>99% inhibition).
• Improved cell viability in human dermal fibroblasts compared to pristine HKUST-1.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin-loaded HKUST-1 is a stable, biocompatible, and pH-responsive MOF system.
• The 1:1 formulation shows significant promise for controlled drug delivery.
• This system holds strong potential for antimicrobial applications and enhanced therapeutic outcomes.