optimization of nanocurcumin particle size using chitosan via ionic gelation and sonication methods

Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. however, curcumin has low bioavailability, biodegradability, and water solubility, which limits its effectiveness in disease prevention and treatment. to overcome these limitations, curcumin has been widely developed in nanoparticle form. chitosan is one of biocompatible and non-toxic polymers commonly used in nanoparticle formation. additionally, tripolyphosphate, a polyanionic compound, serves as a crosslinking agent in nanoparticle synthesis. this study aimed to synthesize nanocurcumin using chitosan and tripolyphosphate via ionic gelation and sonication methods, which are expected to enhance the effectiveness of curcumin. the ratio of curcumin, chitosan, and tripolyphosphate (tpp) was 1:5:1, with curcumin doses of 50 mg (f1), 100 mg (f2), and 200 mg (f3). the particle size analyzer (psa) test for nanocurcumin revealed particle sizes of 3.71 nm, 3.98 nm, and 25.60 nm, respectively. the polydispersity index (pdi) values of f1, f2, and f3 were 0.1324, 0.1148, and 0.1850, respectively. the addition of chitosan and tripolyphosphate using ionic gelation and sonication methods was found to be effective in synthesizing nanocurcumin into nanoparticles with ultra-small and stable sizes (<100 nm), exhibiting homogeneous particle distribution (pdi < 0.3).