International Journal of Nanomedicine (Apr 2021)
Design and Characterization of Spray-Dried Proliposomes for the Pulmonary Delivery of Curcumin
Abstract
Islam M Adel,1 Mohamed F ElMeligy,1 Mohamed EA Abdelrahim,2 Amr Maged,3,4 AbdelFattah A Abdelkhalek,5 Azza MM Abdelmoteleb,6 Nermeen A Elkasabgy1 1Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt; 2Clinical Pharmacy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt; 3Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Industries, Future University in Egypt, Cairo, Egypt; 4Pharmaceutical Factory, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Industries, Future University in Egypt, Cairo, Egypt; 5Department of Microbiology of Supplementary General Science, Faculty of Oral & Dental Medicine, Future University in Egypt, Cairo, Egypt; 6Department of Chemistry, Toxicology and Feed Deficiency, Animal Health Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, EgyptCorrespondence: Islam M AdelFaculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Kasr El-Aini Street, Cairo, 11562, EgyptTel +20 1226445511Email [email protected]: The goal was to directly deliver curcumin, a natural polyphenolic anticancer and anti-inflammatory compound, to the lung tissues with minimal systemic exposure through the fabrication of proliposomes, overcoming its poor aqueous solubility and oral bioavailability.Methods: Nano-spray drying was employed to prepare proliposomes using hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin as a carrier. Lecithin and cholesterol were used as lipids, stearylamine and Poloxamer 188 were added as positive charge inducer and a surfactant, respectively. Different characterization parameters were evaluated like percentage yield, entrapment efficiency, drug loading, aerodynamic particle size, in vitro release besides morphological examination. Cytotoxicity studies on cell line A549 lung tumor cells as well as in vivo lung pharmacokinetic studies were also carried.Results: The optimized formulations showed superior aerosolization properties coupled their enhanced ability to reach deep lung tissues with a high % of fine particle fraction. Cytotoxicity studies using MTT assay demonstrated enhanced growth inhibitory effect on lung tumor cells A549 and significant reduction of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 compared to the pure drug. Results of lung pharmacokinetic tests confirmed the superiority of proliposomal curcumin over curcumin powder in both, the rate and extent of lung tissue absorption, as well as the mean residence time within the lung tissues.Conclusion: The pulmonary delivery of curcumin-loaded proliposomes as dry powder provides a direct approach to lung tissues targeting while avoiding the limitations of the oral route and offering a non-invasive alternative to the parenteral one.Keywords: curcumin, proliposomes, cyclodextrin, dry powder inhalers, human epithelial cell line, pulmonary delivery
