Curcumin-loaded Niosomes Prepared by Microfluidic Mixing; Characterization and Cytotoxicity Evaluation

Curcumin is a commonly used natural chemical compound that has several reported therapeutic applications. Derived from Curcuma longa, curcumin possesses several limitations, such as limited water solubility, low bioavailability, and rapid in vivo degradation. In this study, niosomes were proposed to overcome some of these limitations. Niosomes composed of Span 60 and cholesterol were prepared using microfluidic mixing at flow rate ratio of 3:1 between the aqueous and the lipid phase and a total flow rate of 12 ml/min. The prepared formulations were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics, curcumin encapsulation efficiency (EE), and cytotoxicity. The prepared niosomes had an average particle size of 139.7 nm with a monodisperse distribution and a spherical shape. The curcumin EE was approximately 37%, and the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of curcumin was significantly reduced by niosome loading compared to free curcumin for all the tested cell lines. Moreover, curcumin loaded niosomes demonstrated a higher ability to activate both caspase-3 and caspase-9 proteins, crucial for initiating cell apoptosis. These results demonstrate that niosomes could effectively carry and deliver curcumin to improve its therapeutic potential for clinical applications.