Curcumin Nanocapsules Prepared With Native Casein Micelles Exhibit Potential to Reduce Paracetamol-Induced Oxidative Stress

The study was designed to validate the antioxidant effect of curcumin nano encapsulated (NE) inside native Casein (CN) micelles using a small animal model. Paracetamol (P) is a regularly used drug that is safe when used at therapeutic levels, but an overdose of it has the potential to cause nephron and hepato-toxicity. Thereby, the effect of curcumin, which has anti-oxidative properties, was tested on the hepato-nephron toxicity caused by the overdose. This would prove the effective protection offered to curcumin, by native CN micelles. Male albino mice were treated with nano capsules for 4 days (orally at 30 mg/kg of BW per day) before and after orally administering P (300 mg/kg of BW) for 2 days. There were six groups, including preventive and curative (NE and pristine curcumin) and two control groups. The negative control mice were administered water only for 6 days, and the other group was administered P at 300 mg/kg of BW, but no nano capsules/curcumin were administered. BUN levels were observed to increase in NE powder treated groups in comparison to the P group. The creatinine, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels reduced in mice treated with NE powder after/before P treatment. The levels of antioxidant indices like catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and lipid peroxidation were noted in liver homogenate. The mice group treated with nano-capsules orally showed increased activities of enzymes and a decrease in thio-barbituric acid reactive substances as compared to the P group. Hence, nano capsules can act as a potential antioxidant that delivers curcumin with good bioavailability.