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Self‐degradable curcumin polymer with anti‐cancer activity
Author(s) -
O'Connor N. A.,
Einbond L. S.,
Redenti S.,
Sauane M.,
Jitianu A.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.46867
Subject(s) - curcumin , bioavailability , thermogravimetric analysis , chemistry , polymer , differential scanning calorimetry , materials science , combinatorial chemistry , organic chemistry , biochemistry , pharmacology , medicine , physics , thermodynamics
Curcumin is a widely researched and utilized natural product used for a variety of ailments, including as a gastrointestinal aide and an anticancer agent. Curcumin, however, suffers from poor bioavailability. A strategy to circumvent poor bioavailability is to administer with an adjuvant or by synthetic modification. Herein, we demonstrate the incorporation of curcumin into a self‐degradable polymer by condensation with N , N ′‐di‐Boc‐L‐cystine. The polymer is made self‐degradable upon deprotection of the cystine amines. Degradation is confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Curcumin retains its anti‐cancer activity within the polymer showing activity against HT29 human colon cancer cells and DU‐145 prostate cancer cells. The self‐degrading polymer showed enhanced activity against HT29 cells compared to that of curcumin. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46867