Anticancer Drug Delivery Systems Based on Curcumin Nanostructures: A Review

In recent years, the application of nanostructures in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields has increased. The special designs and compositions make nanocomposites very useful alternatives to conventional materials. Curcumin is a promising anti-cancer agent that has a positive and significant effect on chemotherapeutic achievements. The anticancer properties of curcumin have been widely investigated in different forms such as nanoparticles and nanocomposite structures. Chitosan-based nanocomposites, magnetic nanoparticles, polymer nanocomposites and blends, and montmorillonite- and alginate-based nanocomposites have been used in loading curcumin for various purposes. The anticancer preparations of curcumin nanoparticles and drug release systems employing curcumin-loaded nanoparticles, electrospun nanofibers, and hydrogel nanocomposites have been investigated. This review provides a summary of the applications of nanostructures containing curcumin, especially in controlled drug release systems. The curcumin nanoparticles and nanocomposites are suitable candidates for anticancer applications. On the nano-scale, curcumin has better aqueous solubility and, if used in a nanocomposite, there is a good ability for manipulating the drug delivery system properties.