An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Curcumin has well-established efficacy in a variety of disorders due to its prominent antioxidant, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, chemosensitizing, and anticancer activities. Despite its numerous benefits, curcumin exhibits low bioavailability mainly due to i...

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Main Authors: Ongun Mehmet Saka, Cemre İrem Aygüler, Neval Sevinç Özdemir, Bilge Sürücü, Egemen Çakırlı, Emirhan Nemutlu, Gülen Melike Demirbolat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/4/470
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author Ongun Mehmet Saka
Cemre İrem Aygüler
Neval Sevinç Özdemir
Bilge Sürücü
Egemen Çakırlı
Emirhan Nemutlu
Gülen Melike Demirbolat
author_facet Ongun Mehmet Saka
Cemre İrem Aygüler
Neval Sevinç Özdemir
Bilge Sürücü
Egemen Çakırlı
Emirhan Nemutlu
Gülen Melike Demirbolat
author_sort Ongun Mehmet Saka
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Curcumin has well-established efficacy in a variety of disorders due to its prominent antioxidant, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, chemosensitizing, and anticancer activities. Despite its numerous benefits, curcumin exhibits low bioavailability mainly due to its poor solubility, poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and quick excretion, consequently limiting its clinical applications. In this study, we investigated the most convenient ingredients in SLNs to enhance curcumin’s solubility by examining the effects of multiple independent variables simultaneously using an experimental design. <b>Methods</b>: After curcumin’s saturation solubility was investigated, SLN formulations were produced. The optimum formulation was determined with the help of experimental design. The SLNs were characterized in terms of the particle size and distribution, zeta potential, shape, entrapment efficiency, drug loading capacity, and drug release. The cell viability and cell internalization were also evaluated. <b>Results</b>: An impressive synergistic effect was achieved with the combination of Brij and Gelucire 48/16, which increased curcumin’s solubility in water by 452.5 times. Curcumin-loaded SLNs were successfully produced with a spherical shape and particle size of 389.3 ± 9.95 nm. The encapsulation efficiency was directly proportionate to the amount of curcumin and the stirring speed. Curcumin in the SLNs entered the cancer cells more easily than curcumin alone. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our results demonstrate that the quantity of surfactant is a significant factor influencing the efficiency of drug loading. Finally, the 3:1 (Brij–Gelucire48/16) ratio markedly enhanced the loading efficiency. The cellular internalization and, consequently, the anticancer efficacy against adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells were improved with SLNs. This could be a promising approach for lipid-based colloidal drug delivery systems.
format Article
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issn 1424-8247
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spelling doaj-art-79487d5ed8da465a81ed265bc9b4c4fa2025-08-20T03:13:55ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-03-0118447010.3390/ph18040470An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid NanoparticlesOngun Mehmet Saka0Cemre İrem Aygüler1Neval Sevinç Özdemir2Bilge Sürücü3Egemen Çakırlı4Emirhan Nemutlu5Gülen Melike Demirbolat6Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, 06560 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, 34752 Istanbul, TürkiyeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Basic Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, 34752 Istanbul, TürkiyeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, İstanbul University, 34116 Istanbul, TürkiyeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, 34752 Istanbul, TürkiyeDepartment of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, 06800 Ankara, TürkiyeDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, 34752 Istanbul, Türkiye<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Curcumin has well-established efficacy in a variety of disorders due to its prominent antioxidant, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, chemosensitizing, and anticancer activities. Despite its numerous benefits, curcumin exhibits low bioavailability mainly due to its poor solubility, poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and quick excretion, consequently limiting its clinical applications. In this study, we investigated the most convenient ingredients in SLNs to enhance curcumin’s solubility by examining the effects of multiple independent variables simultaneously using an experimental design. <b>Methods</b>: After curcumin’s saturation solubility was investigated, SLN formulations were produced. The optimum formulation was determined with the help of experimental design. The SLNs were characterized in terms of the particle size and distribution, zeta potential, shape, entrapment efficiency, drug loading capacity, and drug release. The cell viability and cell internalization were also evaluated. <b>Results</b>: An impressive synergistic effect was achieved with the combination of Brij and Gelucire 48/16, which increased curcumin’s solubility in water by 452.5 times. Curcumin-loaded SLNs were successfully produced with a spherical shape and particle size of 389.3 ± 9.95 nm. The encapsulation efficiency was directly proportionate to the amount of curcumin and the stirring speed. Curcumin in the SLNs entered the cancer cells more easily than curcumin alone. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our results demonstrate that the quantity of surfactant is a significant factor influencing the efficiency of drug loading. Finally, the 3:1 (Brij–Gelucire48/16) ratio markedly enhanced the loading efficiency. The cellular internalization and, consequently, the anticancer efficacy against adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells were improved with SLNs. This could be a promising approach for lipid-based colloidal drug delivery systems.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/4/470design of experimentcurcuminsolid lipid nanoparticlesnanoparticles
spellingShingle Ongun Mehmet Saka
Cemre İrem Aygüler
Neval Sevinç Özdemir
Bilge Sürücü
Egemen Çakırlı
Emirhan Nemutlu
Gülen Melike Demirbolat
An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
Pharmaceuticals
design of experiment
curcumin
solid lipid nanoparticles
nanoparticles
title An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
title_full An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
title_fullStr An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
title_full_unstemmed An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
title_short An Experimental Design Approach for Producing Curcumin-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles
title_sort experimental design approach for producing curcumin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles
topic design of experiment
curcumin
solid lipid nanoparticles
nanoparticles
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/4/470
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