Curcumin Nanocapsules Prepared With Native Casein Micelles Exhibit Potential to Reduce Paracetamol‐Induced Oxidative Stress

The study was designed to validate the antioxidant effect of curcumin nano encapsulated (NE) inside native Casein (CN) micelles using a small animal model. Paracetamol (P) is a regularly used drug that is safe when used at therapeutic levels, but an overdose of it has the potential to cause nephron and hepato-toxicity. Thereby, the effect of curcumin, which has anti-oxidative properties, was tested on the hepato-nephron toxicity caused by the overdose. This would prove the effective protection offered to curcumin, by native CN micelles. Male albino mice were treated with nano capsules for 4 days (orally at 30 mg/kg of BW per day) before and after orally administering P (300 mg/kg of BW) for 2 days. There were six groups, including preventive and curative (NE and pristine curcumin) and two control groups. The negative control mice were administered water only for 6 days, and the other group was administered P at 300 mg/kg of BW, but no nano capsules/curcumin were administered. BUN levels were observed to increase in NE powder treated groups in comparison to the P group. The creatinine, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels reduced in mice treated with NE powder after/before P treatment. The levels of antioxidant indices like catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and lipid peroxidation were noted in liver homogenate. The mice group treated with nano-capsules orally showed increased activities of enzymes and a decrease in thio-barbituric acid reactive substances as compared to the P group. Hence, nano capsules can act as a potential antioxidant that delivers curcumin with good bioavailability.