Progress in targeting-delivery systems for curcumin / 中国药学杂志

ABSTRACT

By a targeting-delivery system, drugs are delivered and concentrated in a local district such as target tissues, organs, cells or a special district of cells to avoid harm to healthy tissues. Curcumin has various pharmacological activities, but the clinical application of curcumin is severely limited by its main drawbacks including instability, low solubility and poor bioavailability. Recently curcurnin-targeting dosage forms which improved the curcumin bioavailability surged. In this article, the new targeting-delivery systems and their use in curcumin delivery mainly including liposomes, ligand-receptors, magnetic iron oxides and other systems are reviewed in design methodologies and bioactive effects. Advantages and disadvantages for the target-delivery systems are discussed.