Vol. 2, Issue 2, Part A (2025)

Background: Curcuma longa (turmeric) has been widely recognized for its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties, primarily due to its bioactive compound curcumin. However, its clinical application has been hindered by poor aqueous solubility, rapid metabolism, and limited systemic bioavailability.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and characterize a novel nano-herbal drug delivery system (NHDS) incorporating C. longa extract to enhance solubility, stability, and oral bioavailability while maintaining the phytochemical integrity of the natural extract.

Methods: The nano-herbal formulation was prepared using a modified solvent-evaporation and nanoprecipitation technique employing PLGA and Tween-80 as polymeric stabilizers. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized for size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro release kinetics. Stability studies were conducted under different storage conditions, while in vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed in Wistar rats to compare the bioavailability of the nanoformulation versus the unformulated extract.

Results: The optimized nano-herbal system exhibited a mean particle size of 165.2±8.3 nm, PDI of 0.18±0.03, and zeta potential of -24.1±3.2 mV, indicating good stability and monodispersity. Encapsulation efficiency and drug loading were 79.4±2.1% and 12.7±0.6%, respectively. The in vitro release study revealed an initial burst followed by sustained diffusion, best fitting the Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. Stability analysis confirmed excellent retention of physical characteristics at 4 °C. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated a threefold increase in C_max and AUC for the nanoformulated extract, confirming enhanced systemic exposure.

Conclusion: The developed nano-herbal C. longa delivery system significantly improved the bioavailability, release control, and stability of curcuminoids compared with conventional extract. These findings validate the potential of nanotechnology in modernizing herbal drug formulations, offering a promising approach for achieving consistent, effective, and clinically translatable phytopharmaceuticals. Further clinical trials and large-scale formulation studies are warranted to optimize industrial applicability and regulatory compliance.