Curcumin

Curcuma longa is a widely used plant in folk medicine. In this study, we assessed the action of the ethanolic extract of C. longa on WHO strains of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi and Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis. Curcumin is one of the most active ingredients of C. longa. In the presence of the ethanolic extract of C. longa, the bacterial count of both Salmonella was remarkably increased which was statistically highly significant. We also could not demonstrate MIC value even at 50 mg/ml concentration of the extract in Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, while Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis only showed MIC value at a very high concentration of 6.25 mg/ml. However, two common bacteria E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus showed a MIC value of 0.39 and 3.125 mg/ml respectively. Thus, the use of C. longa in materials for public use should be done cautiously.

A simple, rapid and specific High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed for simultaneous analysis of Curcumin and β-Boswellic acid in a prepared polyherbal gel formulation containing turmeric and boswellia extracts. High performance liquid chromatography analysis was performed on a C18 column using 90:10 (v/v) mixture of acetonitrile and water as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 ml/min. Ultra violet detection was set at 425 nm for Curcumin and 242 for β-Boswellic acid. The method was validated for accuracy, precision, linearity, specificity and sensitivity in accordance with International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Validation data reveals that the method is specific, accurate, precise, reliable and reproducible. Good linear correlation coefficients (r2>0.9993) were obtained for calibration plots in the range tested. Limit of detection for Curcumin was 0.16 µg/ml and limit of quantification was 0.50 µg/ml while for β-Boswellic acid limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 3.3 and 9.9 µg/ml respectively. Recovery was found to be between 98.75 to 99.01 % for Curcumin and from 98.72 to 100.01 % for β-Boswellic acid. The established HPLC method is appropriate and the two selected markers are well resolved, enabling efficient quantitative analysis of Curcumin and β-Boswellic acid. The method was successfully used for quantitative analysis of these two marker constituents in an in-house prepared polyherbal gel formulation. Key word: HPLC, Simultaneous analysis, Polyherbal gel formulation, Curcumin, β-Boswellic acid

Curcumin, an orange-yellow colored component of turmeric is a diarylheptanoid. It is the principal curcuminoid obtained from the rhizomes of the Curcuma longa plant (Zingiberaceae). It is a polyphenol product obtained from turmeric. It is been used in some medicinal preparation and even as a food-coloring agent. By the in vivo and in vitro studies it is confirmed that curcumin has antiviral, anti-arthritic anticancer, anti-amyloid, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The present article highlights the role of curcumin in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It emphasizes on the oral, transdermal and parenteral routes of drug delivery systems and the emerging trends related to these delivery systems such as solid dispersions, cyclodextrin inclusion compounds, solid lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, micro nano emulsions, transdermal patches, topical gel and proniosomes etc.

A new, simple, rapid, selective, precise and accurate isocratic reverse phase high performance liquid Chromatography assay method has been developed for estimation of Curcumin in tablet formulations. The separation was achieved by using column Hypersil BDS C18, 150x4.6 mm, 5µ (Make: Thermo), in mobile phase consisted of tetrahydrofuran and citric acid buffer in the ratio of (550:450, v/v). The flow rate was 1.0 mL.min-1 and the separated curcumin was detected using UV detector at the wavelength of 425 nm. The retention time of curcumin, was noted to be 8.05 min respectively, indicative of rather shorter analysis time. The method was validated as per ICH guidelines. The proposed method was found to be accurate, reproducible, and consistent.

The natural product curcumin is a polyphenolic compound extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. Curcumin is the principle curcuminoid present in turmeric, responsible for its bright yellow color. Curcumin is a nature’s gift to mankind which has broad range of therapeutic, diagnostic and prophylactic potential. In addition to its use as a spice, flavoring and coloring agent in food, turmeric has been used in India for medicinal values for centuries. In Ayurveda, use of curcumin is well documented for the treatment of various ailments. But the applications of curcumin are curtailed by its low solubility, stability, bioavailability, rapid metabolism and short half life. This weapon can be sharpened and re explored as new age one key answer to many ailments and disorders by using it in the form of liposomal, nanoparticulate, microparticulate drug delivery and also by complexing it with metal ions, polymers, cyclodextrine and other carriers. Curcumin has ability to bind with various transition and earth metal ions to form stable complex. Complexation of curcumin with transition metals is one of the useful ways to overcome the problem related to solubility, stability and bioavailability. From several recent studies, it was observed that curcumin metallocomplexes shows greater therapeutic effects than curcumin alone.

Tablets of Oxaliplatin combined with Curcumin was prepared for colon specific delivery using guar gum as matrix carriers in varying concentrations from 40% to 65%. The drug concentration in the tablet was estimated by the newly developed and validated UV derivative spectroscopy method. In vitro drug release profile was studied in changing media method (0.1N HCl, phosphate buffer media, pH 7.4 and simulated colon fluid containing phosphate buffer pH 6.8 added with rat ceacal content). The drug release profiles from PB7.4 and simulated colon fluid were found to be dependent on the gaur gum concentration. Matrix tablets of Oxaliplatin and Curcumin combination showed ~65% of Oxaliplatin and 37% of curcumin release. The colon tissue homogenate studies conducted after oral administration of the optimized tablets showed the recovery of 167.5µg Oxaliplatin and 80µg. curcumin. X-ray Images of matrix tablets containing barium sulphate in Rabbit showed tablets to be intact in small intestine (3 hours after administration) but were diffused and spread out in large intestine and colon later confirming enzyme mediated erosion of the tablet in these regions. Keywords- Oxaliplatin, Curcumin, Matrix tablets, Guar gum, Colon specific delivery, Controlled release.

Drug delivery of highly lipophilic molecules through the transdermal route is unsuitable when systemic effect is desired. Besides the different physical and chemical approaches for permeation enhancement, a novel method has been drawn for improvement in permeation behaviour. Here, the drug molecule was supramolecularly complexed with a phospholipid molecule to form a novel chemical entity possessing improved permeation behaviour suitable for transdermal application. Curcumin (CMN) was used as model drug for preparation of Curcumin-Phospholipid Supramolecular Complex (CPSC) and was characterized by FT-IR Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction Analysis. Comparative solubility study of CPSC in water and n-octanol was performed. The prepared CPSC was incorporated in polymeric matrix films of Eudragit RL100 and Eudragit RS100 and the physicochemical compatibility was studied. The permeation kinetics and permeation parameters of the films were studied against a control batch formulation loaded with uncomplexed CMN across processed excised pig ear epidermis. Skin irritation test was perfomed on rats for safety assessment of films. Analytical reports suggested supramolecular complex formation. The solubility study showed increased hydrophilicity of the prepared CPSC. The FT-IR Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) confirmed no interaction between polymers and CPSC. The formulations loaded with CPSC followed zero order and Higuchi model kinetics and possessed improved permeation parameters and a good enhancement ratio against the control batch. No skin reactions were observed during the skin irritation test. The conducted experiments suggested the supramolecular phospholipid complexation to be an effective permeation enhancement technique for transdermal route. 

Curcumin a hydrophobic poly-phenol is derived from turmeric, the rhizome of the herb Curcuma longa L. Curcumin has been shown to exert anti-depressant effects in rodent models. However, poor bioavailability of curcumin curbs its usage as a therapeutic agent. In view of the above curcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (C-SLNs) were prepared and evaluated for the antidepressant effect of acute administration of C-SLNs (1, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg, p.o.) in the forced swim model of depression in mice. C-SLNs exhibited 47.42%, 67.39%, 31.67% and 36.2% reduction in immobility time after administration of 1, 2.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg dose (p.o.) respectively. Free curcumin however did not result in a significant reduction, except at 2.5 mg/kg, which could produce a reduction of 21.7% but was still 2.83 times lower than the effect obtained with a similar dose of C-SLNs. The results obtained may be assigned to the therapeutic amounts of curcumin reaching the brain. Thus, C-SLNs with their improved bioavailability and permeability possess higher anti-depressant potential upon administration of a single and a much lower dose when compared to free curcumin.

  Turmeric, derived from the plant Curcuma longa, is a gold-colored spice commonly used in the Indian subcontinent, not only for health care but also for the preservation of food and as a yellow dye for textiles. Curcumin, which gives the yellow color to turmeric, was first isolated almost two centuries ago, and its structure as diferuloylmethane was determined in 1910. Since the time of Ayurveda (1900 bc) numerous therapeutic activities have been assigned to turmeric for a wide variety of diseases and conditions, including those of the skin, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems, aches, pains, wounds, sprains, and liver disorders. Extensive research within the last half century has proven that most of these activities, once associated with turmeric, are due to curcumin. These include its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, anti-coagulant, anti-fertility, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-protozoal, anti-viral, anti-fibrotic, anti-venom, anti-ulcer, hypotensive and hypocholesteremic activities. Its anti-cancer effect is mainly mediated through induction of apoptosis. Its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-oxidant roles may be clinically exploited to control rheumatism, carcinogenesis and oxidative stress-related pathogenesis. Thus, curcumin has the potential for the development of modern medicine for the treatment of various diseases.   Key words : Curcumin, diferuloylmethane, medicinal properties.