Polymeric curcumin nanospheres for lysozyme aggregation inhibition, antibacterial and wound healing applications

Abstract Curcumin is a renowned drug for its numerous applications as an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-hyperglycemic agent. However, its clinical applications are limited because of its low physicochemical stability, solubility, cellular uptake, and rapid systemic clearance. Various nanoformulations have been proposed and characterized to upsurge curcumin's solubility and bioavailability. Nanomaterials have much potential to modulate the aggregation kinetics of several proteins, which may lead to the treatment option for several neurological disorders and act as a multi-therapeutic agent. The present study reports highly stable polymeric nanoparticles consisting of curcumin and polyvinylpyrrolidone, C-PVP, and further conjugated with gold nanoparticles, C-PVP-Au, were synthesized. The synthesized conjugates C-PVP and C-PVP-Au were investigated for amyloid aggregation inhibition activity, antimicrobial activity, and wound healing applications. The anti-amyloidogenic capacity of nanoconjugates for model protein, hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), was examined at pH and temperature-induced aggregation. The ThT binding assay, fibril size measurement, and electron microscopy results revealed that conjugates suppress fibrillogenesis in HEWL. The highest amyloid inhibition activity obtained against C-PVP and C-PVP-Au was 31 µg.mL-1 and 30 µg.mL-1, respectively. The dissociation activity for amyloid aggregation was observed against Q-PVP and Q-PVP-Au at 29 µg.mL-1 and 27 µg.mL-1, respectively. The antibacterial studies show significant antibacterial efficacy against Escherichia coli (E.coli) in the presence of C-PVP and C-PVP-Au. The substantial antibacterial potential of C-PVP@PVA and C-PVP-Au@PVA membranes shows promising wound healing applications. Membranes containing curcumin polymeric nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) promote the antibacterial activity and wound healing activity to the wound of Drosophila. C-PVP-Au@PVA membrane healed the wound faster than the C-PVP@PVA, and it can be used for better results in wound healing. Thus, C-PVP-Au NP and C-PVP NP have higher bioavailability and stability and can act as multifunctional therapeutic agents for amyloid-related diseases and wound management systems.