Factorial Development and ex vivo Evaluation of Curcumin-Loaded Niosomes
| Author | Anayatollah Salimi | en |
| Author | Masoud Ali Karami | en |
| Author | Amirhossein Zarei | en |
| Author | Amin Noori | en |
| Author | Hossein Heidari Kaydan | en |
| Orcid | Anayatollah Salimi [0000-0003-1505-7969] | en |
| Orcid | Masoud Ali Karami [0000-0001-6167-7240] | en |
| Orcid | Amirhossein Zarei [0009-0009-1605-0065] | en |
| Orcid | Amin Noori [0000-0002-8757-8635] | en |
| Orcid | Hossein Heidari Kaydan [0000-0003-0497-354X] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-08-31 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Curcumin is a polyphenolic phytochemical with well-documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities; however, its cutaneous application is limited by poor aqueous solubility, chemical instability, and negligible penetration through the stratum corneum. Non-ionic surfactant vesicles (niosomes) composed of Span 80/Tween 80 and cholesterol provide a biocompatible, chemically stable, and cost-effective platform that can solubilize lipophilic actives and fluidize the intercellular skin barrier. Objectives: To develop, statistically screen using a two-level full-factorial design, and biophysically rationalize a curcumin-loaded niosomal nanocarrier for topical/transdermal delivery by mapping the influence of cholesterol and surfactant content on vesicle size, polydispersity, encapsulation efficiency, zeta potential, drug release, and ex vivo skin permeation using response-surface and contour analysis. Methods: Niosomes were prepared by thin-film hydration followed by probe sonication. A 22 full-factorial design varied cholesterol (X1) and the Span 80/Tween 80 mixture (X2) at two levels, generating four formulations (F1–F4). Vesicles were characterized by dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility on a QuDix Scatteroscope. Encapsulation efficiency was determined by indirect ultrafiltration. In vitro release and ex vivo permeation across excised rat abdominal skin were evaluated in Franz diffusion cells (n = 3). Results: Mean vesicle size ranged from 144.3 ± 3.5 nm (F4) to 188.7 ± 2.5 nm (F1); cholesterol was the dominant factor in increasing size (P < 0.001), and the significant X1X2 interaction yielded a twisted, non-parallel response surface, as visualized in the three-dimensional plots. Encapsulation efficiency remained uniformly high (88.9 - 90.8%). F4 exhibited the highest absolute zeta potential (-18.78 ± 1.17 mV), driven by a significant antagonistic X1X2 interaction (P = 0.031). Release followed the Weibull model (R2 ≈ 0.98), and all niosomes enhanced transdermal flux 8.7- to 11.9-fold compared with free curcumin. Conclusions: The low-cholesterol, low-surfactant formulation (F4) produced the smallest, most electrostatically stabilized vesicles, whereas the surfactant-rich formulation (F2) maximized flux, indicating that colloidal stability and percutaneous throughput are governed by distinct, independently tunable combinations of factors within a compact factorial design. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/jjnpp-173355 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/jjnpp/articles/173355 | en |
| Keyword | Curcumin | en |
| Keyword | Niosomes | en |
| Keyword | Surfactants | en |
| Keyword | Skin Absorption | en |
| Keyword | Drug Delivery Systems | en |
| Keyword | Factorial Design | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Factorial Development and ex vivo Evaluation of Curcumin-Loaded Niosomes | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |