Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Effects of Curcumin Nanoparticles on Hepatic Cell Lines Exposed to Acetaminophen-Induced Toxicity: An In Vitro Experimental Study
نویسندگان
1 Department of laboratory and Clinical Science, College of Pharmacy, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
2 Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
3 Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah, Iraq
doi
10.22052/JNS.2026.03.011چکیده
Acetaminophen (APAP), which is safe at therapeutic levels, is a major cause of drug-induced hepatotoxicity globally. In this study, curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-NPs) were tested for their cytotoxic and antioxidant effects on HepG2 hepatic cells after APAP injury. Nanoprecipitation produced Cur-NPs, which were characterised by FTIR, XRD, and FESEM. FTIR shows curcumin’s functional groups, while XRD shows a semi-crystalline structure with much lower peak intensities than bulk curcumin. Spherical nanoparticles with 60–90 nm diameters were seen in FESEM micrographs. After pretreatment with Cur-NPs (5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL), HepG2-cells were subjected to 20 mM APAP over 24 hours. MTT assay-measured cell viability revealed dose-dependent protection, peaking at 40 µg/mL Cur-NPs. Pretreated groups had dramatically restored antioxidant biomarkers SOD, GSH, and MDA to near-control levels. Based on bioavailability and cellular uptake, Cur-NPs appear to reduce APAP-induced oxidative damage and promote hepatic cell survival more than free curcumin. Before clinical translation, Cur-NPs must be validated in vivo, but these in vitro results suggest hepatoprotection.
