title: New Curcumin-Loaded Chitosan Nanocapsules: In Vivo Evaluation.
abstract: The medicinal applications of curcumin, the major component ofCurcuma longa, are limited by its poor solubility and low oral bioavailability. In order to overcome this limitation, a method to produce nanocapsules of chitosan loaded with curcumin was developed. Three different molecular weight and deacetylation degree chitosan polymers were used in the formulation in order to prepare curcumin-loaded nanocapsules (mass ratio 1 : 1.4). The best results were achieved using chitosan-Bi with a molecular weight of 710 000 Da. A bimodal distribution was observed in samples; moreover, chitosan-Bi produced the lowest particle size (197 nm). The entrapment efficacy of all chitosan nanocapsules produced reached values between 75 and 92 %. Their rate of drug release at different pH levels (2.0 and 7.4) showed a fast onset of curcumin release. Swiss mice were used to determine oral and total bioavailability of the new curcumin-loaded nanocapsules. Remarkably, the bioavailability of curcumin nanoformulated increased 9-fold compared with no formulated curcumin. These nanocapsules have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and its production is an easy to scale-up procedure using nontoxic materials.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, Panama, Republic of Panama.|Nano Dispersions Technology, City of Knowledge, Panama, Republic of Panama.|Department of Biotechnology, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, India.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.affiliation: Nano Dispersions Technology, City of Knowledge, Panama, Republic of Panama.
authors.forename: Maria Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Briceño
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Panama, Panama, Republic of Panama.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services, City of Knowledge, Panama, Republic of Panama.
authors.forename: Catherina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caballero-George
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048271:Chitosan; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D065546:Drug Liberation; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D053769:Nanocapsules; D048271:Chitosan; D003474:Curcumin