Modeling the oxidative consumption of curcumin from controlled released poly(beta-amino ester) microparticles in the presence of a free radical generating system

Despite the promise of its therapeutic benefits, curcumin as a free molecule has failed to demonstrate significant clinical success. Arguably, its inherently poor stability and rapid clearance is a significant reason for these negative outcomes. The incorporation of curcumin into the backbone of a crosslinked hydrogel that utilizes poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE) chemistry can provide a tunable protective network with the ability to release at a controlled rate while improving its therapeutic potential. Kinetics of curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles controlled release delivery system in the presence of oxidative environments was studied for the first time, where consumption rates of active curcumin and release products were obtained. The constituent amount of curcumin present in solution was improved by incorporating the active into the network in comparison to curcumin as a free drug. Modeling curcumin conjugated PBAE microparticles will provide a design platform to improve translation and overall success in delivering a therapeutic agent that matches levels of oxidative stress.