Formulation and Evaluation of Curcumin Microsponges and their Hepatoprotective Effect against Paracetamol-Induced Liver Toxicity in Rats Curcumin microsponges and their hepatoprotective effect
Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026),
26 January 2026
,
Page 391-403
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijps.v22i1.49935
Abstract
Curcumin now has numerous pharmacological effects; however, its poor bioavailability limits its therapeutic potential. This study aimed to formulate curcumin microsponges and assess their effectiveness in shielding rat livers from paracetamol-induced damage. The toxicity was induced over a period of 10 days by administering 2 g/kg/day of paracetamol. Paracetamol severely damages the livers of rats by raising liver function markers such as ALT, AST, ALP, and total bilirubin levels while simultaneously lowering total protein levels. The mice received oral therapy for 10 days, including 100 mg/kg of curcumin microsponges and 100 mg/kg of plain curcumin (P-CUR). On the final day of the therapy, the rats were sacrificed, and the liver was excised for pathological analysis. Our findings indicate that microsponges exhibit a more potent hepatoprotective effect compared to conventional curcumin. Curcumin microsponges significantly reduced paracetamol-induced liver damage, as evidenced by a drop in liver function indicators. Our research indicates that curcumin microsponges may possess significant hepatoprotective properties.
- Microsponges
- Paracetamol
- Curcumin
- Biomarkers
- Liver
- Hepatoprotective
How to Cite
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