Functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes for the improved solubilization and delivery of curcumin |
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| Authors: | Shaopeng Yuan Luzhe Zeng Yuanyuan Zhuang Qi Hou |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Beijing Key Laboratory of New Drug Mechanisms and Pharmacological Evaluation Study, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, P. R. China;2. State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China |
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| Abstract: | The surface modification of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can enhance their solubility and stability in water and biological systems. The present study demonstrated the application of the functionalized SWCNTs (f-SWCNTs) as drug-delivery vehicles. In this study, f-SWCNTs were functionalized with one of four different chemical groups for the delivery of curcumin to splenic lymphocytes. Since free curcumin can modulate the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes, we compared the abilities of different f-SWCNTs for the delivery of water-insoluble curcumin to inhibit cell proliferation, which were stimulated with concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that curcumin can be loaded onto the f-SWCNTs surface through π?π stacking with a loading capacity of 235–327 mg/g (curcumin/f-SWCNTs). The f-SWCNTs-curcumin complexes display considerable cell proliferation inhibition efficacy when compared with free curcumin diluted in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Furthermore, curcumin loaded onto SWCNTs functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol) (SW-PEG) showed good dispersion and stability in water, confirming the excellent biocompatibility of SW-PEG as a drug carrier. |
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| Keywords: | single-walled carbon nanotubes functionalization curcumin drug delivery |
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