Curcumin coating : a novel solution to mitigate carbon nanotube toxicity

Abstract

Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) are inert and stable structures made by rolling of graphene sheets into concentric cylinders. They have high surface area to volume ratio thereby provide greater space for attachment of drug molecules. MWCNTs are being widely researched upon as agents for tissue engineering, in-vivo imaging and vehicles for targeted drug delivery in cancer and many other diseases. These are largely non-toxic in nature however, when cells are exposed to these nanotubes for prolonged durations or at high concentrations, they show some adverse effects. These include cytotoxicity, inflammation, generation of oxidative stress, and genotoxicity among others. To combat such adverse effects, various moieties can be attached to the surface of these nanotubes. Curcumin is a known anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and cytoprotective compound derived from a medicinal plant called Curcuma longa. In this study, we have evaluated the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic effect of Curcumin coating on the surface of MWCNTs. The results show a significant decrease in the level of pro-inflammatory molecules in Curcumin-coated MWCNT treated cells compared to uncoated ones. Further, compared to the uncoated, there is a reduction in oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and apoptosis in the cells treated with Curcumin-coated MWCNT. Our findings suggest that coating of Curcumin on the surface of MWCNTs reduces its ability to cause inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis.