Curcumin nano-formulation with enhanced pancreatic lipase inhibition

Abstract Background: Curcumin has been recognized for its diverse therapeutic effects. Little is known about the impact of curcumin on pancreatic lipase inhibition. In recent years, researchers have explored curcumin with new and improved properties. This study evaluated a nano-formulation of curcumin using Tween 80 for its inhibitory effect on porcine pancreatic lipase. The nano-formulation demonstrated significant enzyme inhibition in vitro . Materials and Methods: A pancreatic lipase assay was conducted using p-nitrophenol palmitate as a synthetic substrate. To determine the inhibitory activity of pancreatic lipase, samples at a final concentration of 2 µg/mL were pre-incubated with the synthetic substrate. After the in vitro reaction, the inhibition percentage was calculated by measuring enzyme activity (international units). Additionally, the IC50 value of the curcumin nano-formulation was determined and expressed in μg/mL. The effect of pH (ranging from 3.0 to 9.0) on the pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity of the formulation was also examined. Results: At a final concentration of 2 μg/mL, curcumin and its nano-formulation demonstrated pancreatic lipase inhibition of 4.10 ± 2.0% and 82.9 ± 0.43%, respectively. The IC50 value for the nano-formulation was calculated to be 1.05 μg/mL. Additionally, this curcumin nano-formulation inhibited pancreatic lipase in a pH-dependent manner, with pH 8.0 being identified as the most favorable. Conclusion: This study explored the anti-obesity potential of a nanoform of curcumin. Pancreatic lipase is a recognized therapeutic target for the management of obesity. The nano-formulation exhibited notable pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity at a very low concentration, demonstrating its potency. This opens a new avenue for exploring this molecule as an orally active anti-obesity principle. These findings suggest that this curcumin nano-formulation could be a promising candidate for developing an orally active anti-obesity agent.