Development and Characterisation of Curcumin and Piperine Dual Drug-loaded Sodium Alginate Nanoparticles by Desolvation Technique

Background: The purpose of this research is to extract curcumin from Curcuma longa and Piperine from Black pepper and perform the simultaneous estimation of the mixture by the double beam Ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopic method. The aim is to develop a dual drug-loaded nanoparticulate system to enhance bioavailability and sustained release. Aim: To prepare and characterise the Curcumin and Piperine dual drug-loaded sodium alginate nanoparticle by desolvation technique and optimise the formulation using a 32 factorial design. Method: Curcumin and Piperine were extracted using conventional methods and quantified spectrophotometrically. Nanoparticles were prepared by desolvation using sodium alginate as a polymer. A 32 factorial design was applied with consideration of the concentration of polymer (Factor A) and Stirring speed (Factor B) as two independent variables, and three-level responses with particle size, in vitro drug release, and % drug entrapment efficiency were considered as dependent variables. The prepared Curcumin and Piperine nanoparticles were characterised by particle size, zeta potential, Polydispersity Index (PDI), compatibility studies, surface morphology and in vitro drug release studies. Results: The optimised nanoparticle morphology exhibited an irregular, smooth surface and non-porous particle size ranging from 168.5nm to 194nm. Zeta potential values were negative, indicating good stability due to electrostatic repulsion. FTIR peaks proved there were no drug-excipient interactions. The entrapment efficiency was found to be between 70% to 81%. The drug release using the in vitro method showed sustained drug release. Conclusion: Curcumin and Piperine-loaded sodium alginate nanoparticles were successfully formulated and optimised using a factorial design approach. The system exhibited favourable physicochemical properties and a sustained drug release pattern, suggesting potential for enhanced therapeutic efficacy in topical applications. Major Finding: The formulated nanoparticles exhibited high drug entrapment efficiency, sustained drug release, and good stability as confirmed by zeta potential analysis. The dual-loaded system has potential for enhanced therapeutic delivery.