INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
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2025
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IF 5.2
Peng Xu,Kun Xu,Jiayin Li,Aoxue Liu,Wei Xiao,Lin Sun
Psoriasis, a prevalent immunoinflammatory skin condition, is characterized by abnormal skin thickening, which complicates traditional topical drug delivery and hinders drug penetration. Our goal is to enhance the efficacy of psoriasis treatment by developing a transdermal drug formulation. Microneedles (MNs) can improve treatment outcomes by increasing the absorption of topical medications through skin penetration. Curcumin (Cur), a natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory small molecule with water-insoluble properties, shows promise for psoriasis relief. In this research, three Cur nano-formulations (NFs) were screened and prepared using antisolvent and ethanol injection methods, with one being dispersed into hyaluronic acid (HA) dissolving MNs. A transdermal nano-MNs delivery system was constructed using a double-layer centrifugation technique. This co-delivery system overcame Cur’s solubility issues, poor absorption, and instability, allowing targeted and efficient delivery of Cur-NFs to the skin without being hindered by the skin barrier. In vitro studies demonstrated that Cur-NF dissolving MNs possess adequate mechanical properties for skin implantation, exhibit rapid dissolution, and achieve an effective drug release rate of 73 % within 6 h. Pharmacodynamic evaluations demonstrated that the MNs system effectively ameliorated key psoriatic skin manifestations. Notably, MNs treatment significantly reduced the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score from 12.0 ± 0.0 (model group) to 4.7 ± 0.5 ( p < 0.05), alongside a marked suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23, compared to untreated psoriatic controls. Therefore, the composite dissolving MNs delivery system loaded with Cur-NFs represents a promising approach for psoriasis treatment.
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FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
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2025
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IF 12.4
Kemeng Qin,Xinyu Sun,Ruican Wang,Jingmin Liu,Haitao Wang,Yi Wang,Shuo Wang
The development of sustainable and high-performance food packaging materials is crucial for addressing global food waste and environmental pollution issues. An innovative approach was proposed by using fish skin protein (FSP) from Channa argus as a natural carrier to promote the self-assembly of rosmarinic acid (RA) and curcumin (CUR) into stable nanospheres (FSP/CUR/RA) through non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonds, π-alkyl/π-anion interactions, and electrostatic interactions in this study. Compared with binary systems, the self-assembled FSP/CUR/RA ternary nanospheres exhibited significant advantages in colloidal stability and functionality: the optimized RA6 nanospheres have the smallest particle size (508 ± 19.30 nm), the highest ζ-potential (13.04 mV), and excellent antioxidant activity (ABTS + scavenging rate of 87.91 % at 20 μL), effectively overcoming the limitations of poor solubility and instability of CUR and RA. Upon incorporating the nanospheres into the active film, its overall performance was significantly enhanced. Specifically: Barrier properties were improved, with the water vapor transmission rate reduced to 4.06 × 10 −13 g m −1 ·Pa −1 ·s −1 , representing a 27.6 % decrease compared to the pure FSP film. Mechanical properties were optimized due to RA's effective inhibition of CUR aggregation, achieving a well-balanced tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (EAB). The film demonstrated outstanding antioxidant capacity, with a free radical scavenging rate of 86.39 %, significantly higher than the control groups. Multifunctional characteristics were evident, including ultraviolet shielding capability, controlled release of CUR/RA, and complete biocompatibility (cell viability 100 %). In practical applications, FSP/CUR/RA films significantly extended the shelf life of fresh shrimp by reducing weight loss (3 % compared to 4.44 % in the control group), maintaining a low TVB-N level (11.84 mg/100 g after 3 days), and inhibiting lipid oxidation (TBARS < 1 mg MDA/100 g). This study not only provided a sustainable strategy for the value-added utilization of fish processing by-products but also promoted the design of multifunctional food packaging materials with enhanced preservation capability.
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Nutrients
·
2025
·Vol. 17
·期 18
·2988
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IF 5
Hedong Jiang,Gonglong Li,Liuming Xie,Nanhai Zhang,Yi Huang,Xinli Liang,Fanghua Guo,Qieying Jiang,Zhenggen Liao
Background: Curcumin (Cur) and tryptophan (Trp) both show promise for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) alone, but their combination has not been explored. This study investigated the therapeutic advantage of the combination (Cur–Trp) for DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice.Methods: We established a mouse model of ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The mice were treated with Cur, Trp, or Cur–Trp, and to evaluate the therapeutic effects, we assessed clinical signs such as body weight, disease activity index (DAI), and colon length. We also examined intestinal barrier function through indicators including histopathological changes, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress levels, mucin secretion, and tight junction protein expression. Additionally, we analyzed the composition of gut microbiota and the content of its metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).Results: The Cur–Trp group produced the most significant improvement, exceeding that of Cur or Trp group. This was evidenced by a significant recovery of this sign, including slower weight loss, reduced colon shortening, and de-creased disease activity index. Compared with the model group, the weight loss of mice in the Cur–Trp group was reduced from 17.15% to 9.73%, which was better than that in the cur group (11.33%) and the Trp group (11.59%). The DAI decreased from the model group (3.6) to the Cur–Trp group (2.4), while the DAI in the Cur group and the Trp group only decreased to 2.9 and 2.8, respectively. The colon length in the Cur–Trp group (6.52 cm) was larger than that in the cur group (6.31 cm), the Trp group (6.23 cm) and the model group (5.5 cm). The Cur–Trp intervention effectively restored intestinal barrier function, as shown by reducing colon tissue dam-age, modulating inflammatory factors, restoring oxidative balance, increasing mucin secretion, and upregulating tight junction protein expression. Further studies showed that the combination uniquely modulated the gut microbiome, increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio, decreased the genus of pro-inflammatory bacteria, and in-creased beneficial bacteria, while increasing SCFA levels to alleviate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis.Conclusions: Cur–Trp has shown great potential in alleviating colitis and promoting intestinal barrier function, suggesting that the combination of Cur and Trp has the potential to be developed as a therapeutic functional food or dietary supplement for UC. However, more studies are needed to validate this finding. Future research should focus on elucidating the precise molecular mechanisms, optimizing dosage and clinical trials in chronic models and humans to provide more targeted treatment options.
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IRANIAN POLYMER JOURNAL
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2025
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IF 2.8
Liu Xianghui,Zhou Qirui,Li Yan,Yang Xiaodeng,Li Guohong,Koosha Mojtaba,Wang Ling,Dong Zhongfu,Dong Jing
A nano-sized drug carrier possesses several advantages, including adjustable drug encapsulation and release properties, reduced drug toxicity and improved drug stability. Carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) inherits the advantages of chitosan and water solubility of carboxymethyl groups. Amphiphilic CMCh can form nano-sized self-aggregates, which have important potential applications in oil-soluble drug delivery. In this study, two types of amphiphilic CMCh, N -stearic- O -carboxymethyl chitosan (SA-CMCh) and N -lauric- O -carboxymethyl chitosan (LA-CMCh), were synthesized, which exhibited pH-responsive properties. The optimum reaction conditions were determined by assessing the maximum degree of substitution (DS), and the molecular structures were confirmed through Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The physicochemical properties of SA-CMCh and LA-CMCh, including thermal stability, aggregation behavior, antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli , and in vitrocytotoxicity, were comprehensively evaluated and compared. SA-CMCh and LA-CMCh self-assembled into nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 285 to 723 nm, depending on DS and alkyl chain length. The critical aggregation concentrations were inversely proportional to the DS. These nano-sized self-aggregates were utilized to encapsulate curcumin, allowing for an assessment of their potential as drug carriers. Notably, SA-CMCh aggregates exhibited an initially rapid release of curcumin, followed by a sustained release over 800 m under intestinal pH conditions (6.86) and physiological temperature (37 ºC), with a maximum release rate of 41.73%. These results highlight SA-CMCh 6.8% as a superior carrier for oral oil-soluble drugs due to its pH-responsive release profile. Graphical abstract
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Food Chemistry-X
·
2025
·
IF 8.2
Pengren Zou,Celia Costas,Susan Jyakhwo,Yihao Luo,Li Luo,Zhaojun Wei,Paz Otero
Wheat gluten proteins (WPs) constitute cross-linked dough due to its physochemical properties. However, its application is limited because of its low solubility. Nutraceuticals' encapsulation inside nanoparticles to improve their bioaccessibility presents some challenges. This study aims to construct WPs-carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) nanoparticles (WCM) by pH cycling, as well as to characterize their physicochemical properties, and assess their applicability as nanocarriers. Alkalization exposed WPs binding sites, allowing co-assembly with CMC by hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. CMC prevents protein refolding during neutralization. Its fiber network made WCM nanoparticles' structure more orderly with moderately increased crystallinity, favoring their emulsifying function. WCM 2:1 nanoparticles with particle size of 832.40 nm and polydispersity index of 0.38 could be loaded with curcumin, increasing its in vitro bioaccessibility up to 64.68 %. This study provides more insight into pH-driven co -assembly between hydrophobic proteins and polysaccharides, contributing to their development as innovative materials and functional factor delivery carriers.
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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
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2025
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IF 8.5
Fei-yue Xu,Jin-lin Cai,Bo-ru Chen,Xin-an Zeng,Lang-hong Wang,Rui Wang
This study developed a bilayer emulsion gel using complexes of succinylated whey protein isolate (SWPI) and chitosan (CS) (termed HCS), primarily characterizing its structure, stability, and digestion properties, with curcumin delivery as a model application. Molecular docking revealed succinylation increased SWPI-CS binding sites and affinity improvement. The HCS emulsions exhibited pH/ionic-dependent stability, achieving optimal performance at pH 4 and 160 mM NaCl. Fluorescence imaging validated a trilaminar interface (outer CS layer/inner SWPI layer/oil core). Subsequent experiments incorporating curcumin demonstrated oxidative protection (90 % curcumin retention at 24 h) and digestion resistance (37.5 % bioaccessibility). Rheology demonstrated gelation (G′ > G″) at φ ≥ 0.4, with NaCl strengthening the network. In vitro digestion showed HCS-E gastric resistance (pepsin shielding by CS) and controlled intestinal release (2-fold slower FFA hydrolysis vs. single-layer emulsions). The bilayer design synergistically combines SWPI's emulsification with CS's steric hindrance, offering a platform for bioactive delivery.
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Aquaculture Reports
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2025
·
IF 3.7
Mingzuo Gao,Jingu Shi,Zike Yan,Hongyao Zhang,Kaijie Lin,Yutian Zhan,Yuhan Li,Shuyu Han,Jingzhen Liang
This study investigated the effects of dietary curcumin supplementation at different concentrations on the growth performance, intestinal morphology and microbiota, and liver transcriptome of Mauremys mutica . Healthy turtles were randomly assigned to five groups: a control group (C0, 0 mg/kg curcumin) and four treatment groups (C100, C200, C400, and C800) receiving curcumin at 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg diet, respectively. Each group consisted of three replicates (30 turtles per replicate), and the trial lasted for 60 days. The results demonstrated that dietary supplementation with 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg curcumin significantly improved both weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR), with the 200 mg/kg group showing the highest activities of α-amylase, trypsin, and lipase compared to the control group. Curcumin supplementation also significantly increased intestinal villus height, muscular thickness, and goblet cell counts per villus, indicating an improvement in intestinal morphology. Furthermore, curcumin modulated the gut microbiota composition by increasing the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae_unclassified while decreasing Desulfobacterota, Proteobacteria, Edwardsiella , Bacteroides , and Negativibacillus . Transcriptomic analysis of liver tissues revealed 215, 422, 265, and 243 unique DEGs in the 100, 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg groups, respectively. These DEGs were primarily enriched in immune-related pathways such as the PI3K-Akt, and TNF signaling pathways, as well as metabolism-related pathways including the PPAR signaling pathway, nucleotide metabolism, and various amino acid metabolism pathways. Collectively, these findings indicate that curcumin enhances growth performance and digestive capacity, improves intestinal morphology and digestive enzyme activity, modulates microbial community, and regulates hepatic gene expression related to immune and metabolic function in M. mutica . Based on regression analysis (R 2 > 0.5) of key indicators—including WGR, SGR, FCR, and the activities of trypsin and lipase, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) content—and with no significant effect on survival, the optimal dietary inclusion level of curcumin for M. mutica was estimated to be between 199.74–266.73 mg/kg.
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International Journal of Nanomedicine
·
2025
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IF 6.5
Shuiling Jin,Aifang Zhou,Qi Zhang,Di Zhao,Xintong Dong,Hong-Min Meng,Zhengquan Yu,Zhaohui Li
Purpose Irinotecan (CPT-11), a semisynthetic camptothecin derivative and topoisomerase I inhibitor, is globally used for treating cancers such as colorectal cancer. However, its clinical application is limited by severe adverse effects, including diarrhea and myelosuppression. Biomimetic nano-drug delivery is widely used and can improve chemotherapeutic activity and decrease side effects.Methods In this study, we developed a cancer cell membrane-functionalized metal-organic frameworks for irinotecan/curcumin (named MZCC) for colorectal cancer treatment. In this study, by combining irinotecan, curcumin, MOFs and functionalized cancer cell membrane, a pH-sensitive drug delivery system of MZCC was developed for colorectal cancer treatment with enhanced chemotherapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects. The characteristics and stability of MZCC were carefully examined, and its anti-cancer efficiency was studied in vitro and in vivo. In vivo experiments in a murine colorectal cancer mouse model given intratumorally MZCC injection every 4 days were used to assess antitumor efficacy and systemic toxicity.Results The MZCC system improved treatment antitumor efficacy by 2.3-fold compared with free CPT-11 through synergistic chemotherapy. MZCC-treated groups exhibited a significant reduction in inflammatory cytokine levels within colon tissues; inflammation levels decreased by 55% compared with free CPT-11, and colon length was restored to 79% of normal.Conclusion Our strategy effectively alleviates CPT-11-induced intestinal toxicity and mitigates adverse reactions. This approach may provide a novel method for enhancing chemotherapeutic efficacy while reducing gastrointestinal toxicity.
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FOOD CHEMISTRY
·
2025
·
IF 9.8
Haifeng Wang,Ting Fang,Ying Chen,Jiang Mou,Teng Li,Yuying Fu,Yun Zhai
This study systematically investigates the structure-function relationships between Maillard-glycated (PWM) and genipin-mediated crosslinked (PWG) pectin-whey protein isolate (WPI) complexes, with particular emphasis on their differential impacts on bioadhesive performance and digestion profiles for curcumin-loaded delivery systems. Both crosslinking strategies induced structural unfolding of WPI and endogenous pectin proteins, exposing amino-active sites that facilitated their reconstitution into stable complexes. PWG developed denser and more homogeneous hydrophobic microdomain networks compared to PWM. Curcumin was encapsulated via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions within these networks. Ex vivo intestinal adhesion assays demonstrated PWG loaded curcumin (PWG-Cur) achieved 28.69 % particulate retention in colonic environments, representing 7.0-fold and 1.75-fold enhancements over free curcumin and PWM loaded curcumin (PWM-Cur), respectively. In vitro digestion models confirmed PWG-Cur's superior bioaccessibility (22.46 %), reflecting a 37 % enhancement over PWM-Cur (16.35 %). These findings provide critical design principles for engineering mucoadhesive pectin-polyphenol delivery platforms capable of precisely modulating cargo release while enhancing bioaccessibility.
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JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH
·
2025
·Vol. 103
·期 7
·e70064
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IF 3.4
Sun Hong,Liu GuoYan,Wu JiaWen,Yu Xin,Zhan ShuQin,Reng HongWei,Chen MengYing,Cheng YuXuan
Chronic epilepsy is mainly characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS). The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma/phosphatase and tensin homolog/protein kinase B (PPARγ/PTEN/Akt) pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of SRS and neuronal loss. Curcumin is a natural compound, and previous studies have shown it provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammation and anti-oxidant effects in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In the present study, we show that curcumin regulates the abnormal expression of PTEN and Akt in the SRS phase, improves the neuronal loss in the hippocampus, and suppresses SRS development and seizure spike activity in epileptic rats. More importantly, these effects are reversed by the PPARγ antagonist, T0070907, suggesting that curcumin exerts neuroprotective and anti-epileptic effects through the PPARγ/PTEN/Akt signaling pathway. Other studies have shown that curcumin can cross the BBB and has a safety profiles and pleiotropic pharmacological effects. Thus, our data support the proposition that curcumin might be a potential neuroprotective and anti-epileptic agent for chronic epilepsy.
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JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
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2025
·
IF 11.3
Rongyi Ye,Ran Yi,Yihan Wang,Nan Huang,Yanhua Wang,Chen Chen
Pesticide toxicity to honeybees has become a pressing ecological issue, yet the effects of pesticide co-exposure are still not fully understood. This research investigates the toxicological implications of concurrent exposure to broflanilide (BFL), a novel diamide insecticide, and myclobutanil (MYC), a commonly used triazole fungicide, on honeybees ( Apis mellifera L . ), while exploring potential preventive strategies. Acute toxicity tests revealed a significantly lower 96-hour lethal concentration 50 (LC 50 ) for BFL (0.34 mg a.i. L −1 ) compared to MYC (82.3 mg a.i. L −1 ), and their co-exposure resulted in pronounced synergistic toxicity. Worker bees were exposed to environmentally relevant doses of BFL and MYC for 7 days, and midgut toxicity was assessed. The co-exposure caused severe midgut damage, including G-layer deterioration, loss of columnar epithelium integrity, and downregulation of the tight junction protein Z O-2. Additionally, oxidative stress-related genes ( Sod1 , Catalase , SelK , GstD1 ) were upregulated, accompanied by higher MDA levels and increased CAT and SOD activities. Furthermore, a greater number of TUNEL-positive cells were detected, along with elevated expression of apoptosis-related genes ( Caspase-3-like , Caspase-8-like , Caspase-9-like ) and higher caspase enzyme activities. Curcumin (Cur) was tested for its protective effects, and it significantly alleviated midgut damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This study reveals the synergistic ecotoxicological effects of pesticide combinations and suggests Cur as a potential prevention strategy for mitigating their harmful impact on honeybees.
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MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
·
2024
·
IF 4.6
Xu Yao,Liu Yongsheng,Wu Yan,Sun Jingshan,Lu Xiaocheng,Dai Kun,Zhang Yiting,Luo Chengliang,Zhang Jian
Early brain injury caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with inflammatory response and ferroptosis. Curcumin alleviates neuroinflammation and oxidative stress by as yet unknown neuroprotective mechanisms. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of curcumin on neuronal ferroptosis and microglia-induced neuroinflammation following SAH. By examining Nrf2/HO-1 expression levels and ferroptosis biomarkers expression both in vitro and in vivo, it was demonstrated that curcumin effectively suppressed ferroptosis in neurons after SAH through modulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, by analyzing the expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, p-p65, and inflammation-related genes, it was confirmed that curcumin could prevent the upregulation of pro-inflammatory factors following SAH by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway in microglia. The ability of curcumin to reduce neuronal damage and cerebral edemas after SAH in mice was validated using TUNEL staining, Nissl staining, and measurement of brain tissue water content. Additionally, through implementation of the modified Garcia test, open field test, and Y-maze test, it was established that curcumin ameliorated neurobehavioral impairments in mice post-SAH. Taken together, these data suggest that curcumin may offer a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes following SAH by concurrently attenuating neuronal ferroptosis and reducing neuroinflammation. Graphical Abstract
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