An Assessment of Curcumin, Curcumin Spanlastics Nanoparticles, and Curcumin Nanocrystals as Possible Drug Delivery Systems with Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Antitumor Activities

The study evaluates curcumin, curcumin spanlastics nanoparticles, and curcumin nanocrystals as drug delivery systems with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antitumor activities. Curcumin spanlastics demonstrated superior biological effects, particularly in reducing markers like Cyclin D1 and VEGF in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, and showed the highest antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Despite slower drug release, spanlastics were more effective due to their smaller particle size, better stability, and higher drug entrapment capabilities. Curcumin nanocrystals showed higher entrapment efficiency and drug loading, but spanlastics exhibited the lowest cell viability in anticancer tests, indicating potent effects. The study suggests that these formulations may enhance curcumin's bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy, with potential applications in cancer therapy.