NANOFORMULATION OF CURCUMIN AND ITS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EVALUATION

Curcumin, the principal polyphenolic constituent of Curcuma longa (turmeric), possesses potent anti-inflammatory activity. Despite remarkable pharmacological potential, clinical translation of curcumin is severely restricted by its drawbacks. The present study aimed to develop, optimize, and evaluate curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles using Box-Behnken Design (BBD), and to compare their in-vitro antiinflammatory activity with free curcumin and the reference. Curcumin was extracted from dried Curcuma longa rhizomes and purified by silica gel column chromatography. An HPLC-UV analytical method was developed and fully validated per ICH Q2(R1) guidelines. The optimized formulation was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), TEM, SEM, FTIR, DSC, and XRPD. In-vitro drug release, antiinflammatory activity and stability studies were conducted. Extracted curcumin showed 98.6% HPLC purity and confirmed identity by UV, FTIR, and melting point. BBD optimization yielded an optimal formulation with particle size 186.4 ± 7.8 nm, PDI 0.194 ± 0.018, zeta potential +28.6 ± 2.4 mV, and encapsulation efficiency 87.2 ± 1.6%. Solid-state characterization confirmed amorphous dispersion of curcumin within the chitosan matrix. Drug release followed 84.6% cumulative release over 72 hours. Curcumin nanoparticles demonstrated 3.8-fold superior anti-inflammatory potency versus free curcumin in both albumin denaturation inhibition (IC50: 44.6 vs. 168.4 μg/mL) and HRBC membrane stabilization (IC50: 48.2 vs. 184.6 μg/mL) assays, with potency comparable to diclofenac sodium. Nanoencapsulated curcumin showed 46-fold superior chemical stability versus free curcumin under accelerated conditions. The nanoformulation represents a promising, pharmaceutically validated platform for improving the therapeutic utility of curcumin as a safe and effective natural anti-inflammatory agent.