Curcumin Encapsulated in Chitosan Nanoparticles: Preparation, Optimization, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Study on Dental Caries

Curcumin was loaded onto chitosan nanoparticles by using precipitation and ionic gelation method. Curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles exhibited enhanced solubility in aqueous solution as compared to free curcumin. Effects of formulation parameters such as curcumin concentrations and different volumes of ethanolic solution were found to affect the particle size and loading efficiency (LF) of the curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles. Under optimum conditions, curcumin loaded chitosan nanoparticles with mean particles size of 66.3 nm and maximum loading efficiency of 11.9% were achieved. Curcumin was observed to release out from chitosan nanoparticles in a sustained way under physiological pH over a period of 96 hours. From these results it concludes that formulation No 1 is the best formulation and which is recommended for future studies like Nano dry powder preparation and interaction with oral bacteria especially Streptococcus mutans.

Keywords:

Curcumin , Chitosan , Nanoparticle , Preparation , Streptococcus mutans