Dendrosomal nano-curcumin; The novel formulation to improve the anticancer properties of curcumin

Abstract

Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol extracted from the plant curcuma longa with establishedanticancer properties. However, curcumin benefits have been impaired by its very low watersolubility, low absorption, rapid metabolism and clearance from the body. Recently,nanotechnology promises to be helpful in development of drugs delivery systems by recentadvances in macromolecular design of nanocarriers. In this review, we present the novelgeneration of nano-vehicles termed dendrosomes which are readily synthesized fromesterification of oleic acid and polyethylene glycol residues. Dendrosomes efficientlyencapsulate curcumin in a spherical micellar or polymersome structures which leads to increaseaqueous solubility of this hydrophobic agent and higher bioavailability of curcumin. Anticancerpotency of this nanoformulation was confirmed in different mouse and human cancercells including fibrosarcoma, colon, glioblastoma, bladder, gastric, breast and hepatocellularcarcinoma in vitro and vivo. It has also demonstrated that this nano preparation has nocytotoxicity effects on normal cells. Finally, these results introduce dendrosomal curcumin aspotent anti-tumor agent although further clinical examinations are needed.