3- O -Ethyl-L-Ascorbic Acid Doped Enteric-Coated Gelatin Capsules towards the Advanced Oral Curcumin Delivery for Cancers

• Published in: Polymers Vol. 14; no. 11; p. 2207
• Main Author: Lim, Dong-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 29.05.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid; Arthritis; Ascorbic acid; Bioavailability; Buffer solutions; Cancer; cancer prevention; Communication; curcumin; Drug dosages; Epidermal growth factor; gastrointestinal drug delivery; Gastrointestinal system; Gelatin; Kinases; Metabolism; oral drug delivery; Polymers; Polyphenols; United States > US; India; 3-O-ethyl-L-ascorbic acid; cancer prevention; gastrointestinal drug delivery; oral drug delivery; curcumin
• ISSN: 2073-4360; 2073-4360
• DOI: 10.3390/polym14112207

Among plant-derived polyphenols, curcumin has been recognized as a therapeutically potent nutrient presenting pleiotropic pharmacological effects on various cancers. However, the poor absorption and bioavailability of curcumin limit the use of this excellent naturally occurring polyphenol. 3- -ethyl-L-ascorbic acid (EA) doped enteric-coated gelatin capsules were studied in the search for advanced oral curcumin delivery. The EA doped enteric-coated gelatin capsules were successfully created based on a developed inner dual enteric coating technique. When placed in four buffer solutions with different pHs (pH 2.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.3), the coated gelatin capsules showed delayed-release profiles of curcumin below pH 6.0. In contrast, both pristine and fabricated gelatin capsules showed similar curcumin release profiles at pH 7.3, which is a common pH observed in the lower gastrointestinal tract, especially intestinal regions. In conclusion, these results demonstrated the potential of the EA doped enteric-coated gelatin capsules in developing advanced oral delivery of curcumin targeting intestinal-specific regions.