FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF CURCUMIN-LOADED CHITOSAN NANOPARTICLES AND ITS INTRANASAL EFFICACY FOR CNS DELIVERY

Hydrophobic medications that are taken orally having poor bioavailability due to permeability issues. They experience a chemical and enzymatic breakdown in the digestive system and exhibit a significant amount of hepatic first-pass metabolism. Similar obstacles prevent the development of effective therapeutic molecule delivery systems and the discovery of new drugs. It has been revealing that curcumin, a key active lipophilic constituent of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), has a variety of pharmacological properties, including cholagogues, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Based on its organoleptic characteristics, solubility, loss on drying, partition coefficient, infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, Curcumin was physically and chemically characterized. The drug sample Curcumin was found to be genuine and pure based on the tests. For the purpose of determining in-vitro release and permeation study, an analytical method utilizing RP-HPLC was created and validated. Ionic gelation was used to create chitosan nanoparticles. The study includes the evaluation of various processing conditions, including surface morphology, particle size, particle size distribution, surface charge, percentage yield, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading, as well as ex-vivo permeation studies and in-vitro release models. For Curcumin-nanoparticles, the impact of drug concentration on particle size, polydispersibility index, entrapment efficiency, and loading capacity was optimized. It was found that as the drug: polymer ratio is raised; the average size of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles grows. As per ICH guidelines, the formulation’s stability study was also carried out.