Encapsulated curcumin results in prolonged curcumin activity in vitro and radical scavenging activity ex vivo on skin after UVB-irradiation

Journal article

Authors/Editors

SAKAMON DEVAHASTIN

Strategic Research Themes

No matching items found.

Publication Details

Author list: Suwannateep N., Wanichwecharungruang S., Haag S.F., Devahastin S., Groth N., Fluhr J.W., Lademann J., Meinke M.C.

Publication year: 2012

Volume number: 82

Issue number: 3

Start page: 485

End page: 490

Number of pages: 6

ISSN: 0939-6411

eISSN: 0939-6411

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84870507106&doi=10.1016%2fj.ejpb.2012.08.010&partnerID=40&md5=61ebc796c28b1b31c7e1d677be99a09a

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

View in Web of Science | View on publisher site | View citing articles in Web of Science

Abstract

The phytochemical curcumin possesses antioxidant activity; however, it becomes unstable after being exposed to light or heat or loses activity during storage. This is especially important when curcumin is applied to the skin within a cosmetic or pharmaceutical formulation, since sun exposure is unavoidable. This drawback can be directly addressed by encapsulation of curcumin in photo-stable nanospheres. Therefore, curcumin was encapsulated into nanoparticles consisting of ethyl cellulose and/or methyl cellulose. Nanoparticles were subjected to processing conditions commonly used in industry, for example, temperature and pressure and thus retained their morphology. Furthermore, sun exposure resulted in the protection of curcumin by nanoparticles, whereas non-encapsulated curcumin degraded completely. Determination of the radical protection factor resulted in similar antioxidant activity of encapsulated and non-encapsulated curcumin indicating that curcumin maintains its antioxidant activity. Application of lotions containing curcumin or curcumin nanoparticles to the skin and subsequent UVB-irradiation resulted in less radical formation compared to lotion application only. Moreover, radical formation was even less after nanoparticle application compared to free curcumin. Nanoencapsulation protects curcumin from photo degradation and can therefore prolong the antioxidant activity of curcumin. ฉ 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

curcumin