Raw Curcumin Research Articles

Preparation of nano-curcumin by subcritical water: Assessment of stability, dissolution rate and antioxidant activity

Subcritical water (SCW) as a solvent and aqueous solution of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an antisolvent were used to prepare curcumin (CUR) nano-particles. The effects of SCW temperature (110–150 ℃), antisolvent temperature (0 and 20 ℃) and PEG concentration (0.05–0.50 wt%) were studied by univariable method. At the selected conditions of 140 °C, 0 °C, and 0.50 wt%, based on the SEM image analysis, the average lateral size and thickness of the nano-flower CUR particles were nearly 485 nm and 83 nm, respectively. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed a highly monodispersed nanoparticles with the mean particle size of 119 nm. FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed no structural degradation, and significant decrease in crystallinity index, respectively. Furthermore, the dissolution rate and antioxidant activity of the nano-flower CUR were significantly higher than the raw CUR, remained unchanged after 60 days, confirming the stability and functionality of the produced nanoparticles.

In Situ Hydrogel-Forming Powders Containing Eutectic Mixture of Curcumin-Arginine as a Multi-Drug Delivery System for Wound Healing Applications

Background: Curcumin (CUR) has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant bioactivities and is a promising molecule to treat chronic wounds. However, CUR shows limited oral bioavailability due to low aqueous solubility and dissolution, chemical instability, and rapid metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract and liver. Therefore, topical delivery seems to provide therapeutic concentrations of CUR in a controlled manner. Arginine (ARG) promotes the wound healing process. CUR and ARG form a eutectic mixture (EMCA) that can be used for simultaneous improvement of dissolution of CUR and combinational wound therapy. Here, we have formulated in situ hydrogel-forming powders of EMCA using hydrophilic carriers. Methods: EMCA was prepared by liquid-assisted grinding and analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) methods. The formulations were prepared by mixing EMCA with sodium carboxy methyl cellulose, sodium alginate, and polyethylene glycol. Optical microscopy, flow property, dissolution rate, water uptake, hydrogel forming ability, release profile, and antioxidant activity of the formulated powders were measured and compared with raw CUR. Results: The solid-state analyses revealed the formation of EMCA. Photographs showed that EMCA exhibited a lower particle size than raw CUR and ARG. The formulation content significantly affected fluid uptake, hydrogel-forming ability, and dissolution rate. The optimized formulation (FEP5) showed a considerable enhancement in the dissolution rate of CUR and could control the release. FEP5 also demonstrated promising characteristics including high fluid uptake and suitable hydrogel-forming ability. FEP5 enhanced the antioxidant activity of CUR from 9% to 50%. Additionally, FEP5 exhibited improved flow properties compared to raw CUR, which is crucial for practical applications in wound therapy. Conclusion: Current work highlighted the potential of EMCA formulated as a hydrogel-forming powder as a novel formulation with improved dissolution, rapid fluid uptake, inexpensive components, feasible method of preparation, and easy application and removal for combinational wound therapy

Stable nanoemulsions for poorly soluble curcumin: From production to digestion response in vitro

Curcumin, a polyphenol, can induce anticancer activity depending on dose. However, oral curcumin administration is limited by its low bioavailability due to aqueous insolubility and instability against physiological conditions. This study aims at formulating nanoemulsions by phase inversion temperature to enhance curcumin loading, stability, antioxidant performance, bioaccessibility, and in vitro absorption. The selection mechanisms for oil phase (coconut oil), surfactant (polyoxyl 40 hydrogenated castor oil), co-surfactant (soy phospholipid), and aqueous phase (2 % wt citrate buffer at pH 4.5) are established. The nanoemulsions show tunable mean droplet size (26–129 nm), high curcumin loading (9.53 ± 0.49 mg/mL), polydispersity < 0.3, and ζ-potential < -26 mV. Nanoencapsulation increases curcumin photostability by 36–42 % and the antioxidant activity after 24-hour UV radiation is unchanged (P > 0.05). The curcumin nanoemulsions show ∼ 11 %, 24 %, and 57 % higher retention and ∼ 10 %, 12 %, and 17 % higher antioxidant activity than raw curcumin after 3-hour simulated gastric, intestinal, and physiological incubations, respectively. During in vitro digestion and absorption, the encapsulated curcumin shows higher bioaccessibility and absorption than free curcumin (P < 0.05). The samples are stable during 4-week storage at 4˚C and room temperature without preservatives. These findings suggest the potential to develop a nanoencapsulation strategy, particularly for an oral delivery system of oil-soluble drugs.

Cocrystal of curcumin with 4,4′-bipyridine toward improved dissolution: Design, structure analysis, and solid-state characterization

The prime active ingredient of the herb curcuma longa, curcumin (CUR) has extensive pharmacological activities and high security. However, the low solubility severely restricts its investigation and application as a drug. In this paper, a new cocrystal, CUR–BPY, assembled by CUR and BPY (4,4′-bipyridine) has been synthesized and characterized by various analytical methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that CUR–BPY contains a pentameric BPY–CUR–BPY–CUR–BPY supramolecular architecture connected by OH⋯N hydrogen bonds and further extended to give a 1D loop-like chain through aromatic interactions. Powder dissolution experiment reveals that CUR–BPY exhibits obvious spring phenomenon and about 7 times higher apparent solubility than that of raw curcumin. The improved dissolution performance should be ascribed to the careful selection of BPY coformer and expected OH⋯N weak hydrogen bonding in CUR-BPY cocrystal.

A Xanthan-Gum-Stabilized PEG-Conjugated Nanocurcumin Complex: Telescoping Synthesis for Enhanced Permeation Potential.

We report a facile room temperature telescoping synthesis of a nanocurcumin complex with 17.5-fold permeation enhancement as determined by comparative in vitro permeation study with raw curcumin. The permeation results were further validated with in silico drug absorption prediction using ADMET predictors.

Ultrasound-Assisted Stable Curcumin Nanoemulsion and Its Application in Bakery Product.

The quality of the bread has been always an important issue and needs to be improved. Curcumin nanoemulsion provides an antioxidant and other nutritional value to the bakery products. Our aim was to determine the effect of curcumin nanoemulsions as a food additive on the quality and digestibility of breads. Curcumin nanoemulsion was stabilized by using Tween 80 and an ultrasound approach and its incorporation of curcumin nanoemulsion into bread formulation as the replacement of margarine. The objects of the study were the obtained bread from wheat flour, namely, control sample, CuNE containing sample, and raw curcumin containing bread sample. The results of the sensory evaluation of prototype bread suggest that curcumin nanoemulsion does affect organoleptic properties of bread. The result of antioxidant activity for curcumin nanoemulsion bread is higher (31.59%) compared to a control bread (20.59%). Also, in addition to a positive effect, there is an increase in the total strain and the elasticity of the crumb of bread compared to the control bread. SEM (scanning electron microscope) study shows that formulation with nanoemulsion promotes uniform distribution of fine pores (porosity).

On improving bioaccessibility and targeted release of curcumin-whey protein complex microparticles in food

Curcumin is a bioactive food component, with poor bioaccessibility due to low water solubility and stability. Spray drying retained and in fact enhanced curcumin-whey protein isolate (WPI) complexation via desolvation, lowering the amount of unbound curcumin to <5% wt after drying, forming microparticles with better water solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility than raw curcumin. The desolvated microparticles encapsulated 3.47 ± 0.05 mg/g curcumin, almost one order of magnitude higher than the un-desolvated sample 0.37 ± 0.03 mg/g. After incorporation into yogurt, the rapid-release formula liberated 87% curcumin, whereas the targeted-release one discharged 44% before entering the simulated intestinal condition. Most of the yogurt sensory properties were not adversely affected, except for colour and curcumin flavour. This study proposed a strategy in which food ingredients containing hydrophobic bioactive small molecules can be incorporated into a food matrix to improve bioaccessibility and targeted release, without affecting their sensory properties.

Molecular Interactions for the Curcumin-Polymer Complex with Enhanced Anti-Inflammatory Effects.

The molecular interactions between compound and polymeric carriers are expected to highly contribute to high drug load and good physical stability of solid dispersions. In this study, a series of amorphous solid dispersions (ASD) of Curcumin (Cur) were prepared with different polymers by the solvent evaporation method. With the carrier polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the amorphous solid dispersion system exhibits a better solubility and stability than that with poloxamers and HP-β-CD due to the strong drug-polymer interaction. The drug/polymer interaction and their binding sites were investigated by combined experimental (XRD, DSC, FTIR, SEM, Raman, and 1H-NMR) and molecular dynamics simulation techniques. The Curcumin ASD demonstrated enhanced bioavailability by 11-fold and improved anti-inflammatory activities by the decrease in cytokine production (MMP-9, IL-1β, IL-6, VEGF, MIP-2, and TNF-α) compared to the raw Curcumin. The integration of experimental and modeling techniques is a powerful tool for the rational design of formulation development.

Investigation of Curcumin Water Solubility Through Emulsifying with Biocompatible Polyethylene Glycol–Based Polymers

The low water solubility of curcumin prevents various biological and pharmacological activities, which prevent adequate bioavailability. Herein, two new emulsifier systems have been developed and optimized to increase the water solubility of curcumin. The first emulsion system containing curcumin was prepared using polyethylene glycol monooleate-460 (PEG-oleate) for the oily phase, Tween 20 as the emulsifier, and acetic acid as stabilizing agent. In this emulsion system, Box–Behnken experiment design was applied to find the most favorable conditions and substance ratios. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed for the emulsion system obtained under optimum conditions. For this emulsion system, the curcumin solubility was found to be 709 times higher than the solubility of raw curcumin. The second emulsion systems developed was carried out using our newly synthesized methoxy polyethylene glycol monooleate-550 (methoxy PEG-oleate). The best curcumin solubility was obtained when the ratio of curcumin-methoxy PEG-oleate was 1:5 (w/w). The solubility of curcumin in this system was 56 times higher than that of raw curcumin. Interactions were characterized by FTIR measurements. Solubility, encapsulation capacity, dissolution, and stability studies were performed. The amount of curcumin in the emulsion systems was carried out by newly developed reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Chitosan/iota-carrageenan/curcumin-based materials performed by precipitating miscible solutions prepared in ionic liquid

Curcumin (CUR) is a hydrophobic drug which has been loaded into polymeric carrier matrices by using experimental strategies with many steps, as well as by using conventional and volatile organic solvents. For the first time, this study reports the use of an ionic liquid ([Hmim][HSO4−]) to solubilize polycation-polyanion polymer pairs and hydrophobic CUR in the same system. By using the [Hmim][HSO4−] as an appropriated solvent, CUR (ca. 10% wt) is loaded into a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) based on chitosan and commercial iota-carrageenan, following a straightforward method (in-situ approach). A solution containing chitosan, iota-carrageenan, and CUR is produced in [Hmim][HSO4−] and subsequently precipitated in an ice-water bath to form the CUR-loaded PEC. The ionic liquid is synthesized following a straightforward experimental route, and after PEC production, it is recovered and reused. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows that chitosan and iota-carrageenan are principally interacting by coulombic forces. Also, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy analyses confirm that CUR is loaded into the PEC structure. Wide-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry also confirm that CUR loaded PEC (ca. 105 mg g−1) comprise a more disorganized structure when compared to the pristine drug. The CUR is released in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) because the PEC material increases 3.3-fold its solubility in SGF when compared to the raw curcumin. The ionic liquid can remain in the PEC structure, potentially imparting cytotoxicity. A simple aqueous washing step is sufficient to remove the residual [Hmim][HSO4−] and promote cytocompatibility. Cell viability assay performed on bone marrow-derived stem cells demonstrates that CUR significantly increases the cell viability promoted by the PEC.

Nghiên cứu phức hợp của curcumin với hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin có sinh khả dụng cao

The biological activity of curcumin in turmeric is of great interest because of its usefulness in food, cosmetics as well as in the treatment of human disease. However, the bioavailability of curcumin has not been fully exploited due to low solubility leading to poor absorption, metabolism and rapid clearance from the body. The study was conducted to improve the bioavailability of curcumin by improving solubility by forming a complex of curcumin with hydroxylpropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), a substance believed to increase the solubility and stability of the drug. The main chemical constituents of turmeric essential oil and curcuminoid extracted from turmeric powder are ar-turmerone (40.8%) and curcumin (76.4%). The results from the analysis of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that curcumin combined with polymers in the complex of curcumin-HP-β-CD and curcumin - HP-β-CD - essential oil. The water solubility of curcumin in the complex of curcumin - HP-β-CD and curcumin - HP-β-CD – essential oil were 159 and 229 times higher than that in raw curcumin, respectively. Mice given the curcumin-HP-β-CD complex had curucmin concentration in the blood about 5 times higher than those given raw curcumin and curcumin - HP-β-CD – essential oil at 8 h after ingestion.

Enhancing the Bioavailability of a Natural Product Curcumin to increase the Therapeutic Efficacy by a Novel Formulation Technology

Curcumin is found in the rhizome of Curcuma longa. It exhibits various biological activities like anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant and nematocidal activities. Due to its poor solubility there is a need to formulate this curcumin for better bioavailability. Curcumin was extracted by acetone using soxhlet apparatus and evaporated by means of vacuum rotary evaporator. The presence of curcumin was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry. Nanosuspension was prepared by bottom up method using acetone and water solvent system. Stabilizers were added under optimized conditions in order to achieve suitable quality of nanosuspension. Then it was analyzed using particle size and zeta potential analyzers for acceptable quality. Pharmacokinetic property and bioavailability are important phenomena that determine the suitability of formulation in therapeutic application. Hence, a study was performed for the prepared nanosuspension formulation. There were two groups of animals considered. One for the formulated curcumin another for non-formulated raw curcumin which served as control. Animals were administrated orally once with 250 mg /kg body weight of respective test drugs and blood samples were collected every 30 min till 180 min. Curcumin in the samples were quantified by HPLC. The Area Under the Concentration time curve (AUC) was drawn and evaluated statistically using ‘t’ test for significant improvement in bioavailability of formulation. Results showed that there is a significant (P< 0.05) improvement in bioavailability and specific pharmacokinetic property for the prepared formulation.

Increased bioavailability of curcumin using a novel dispersion technology system (LipiSperse®).

Curcumin has been shown to deliver protective effects against numerous degenerative conditions associated with high levels of inflammation and oxidative stress. Owing to its poor bioavailability when delivered orally, it is difficult to deliver a high concentration therapeutic dose. LipiSperse® is a novel delivery system that uses dispersion technology to enhance bioavailability of hydrophobic agents. In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of a commercially available curcumin extract, with or without the curcumin-LipiSperse® delivery complex. Eighteen healthy male and female volunteers participated in this single equivalent dose, randomised, double-blinded study. Seven of those volunteers further participated in the crossover phase of the trial. Plasma concentrations were determined at baseline and at regular intervals over a 24-h period following 750mg of curcuminoid ingestion. In both the parallel and crossover trial, Curcumin with LipiSperse® delivered significantly higher plasma curcuminoid concentrations compared to the raw curcumin product (807 vs 318ng/mL in the crossover trial). The novel delivery system LipiSperse® is safe in humans, and demonstrates superior bioavailability for the supply of curcumin when compared to a standard curcumin extract.

Micronization of curcumin with biodegradable polymer by supercritical anti-solvent using micro swirl mixer

Curcumin is a hydrophobic polyphenol compound exhibiting a wide range of biological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, and antimicrobial activity. In this work, a swirl mixer was employed to produce the micronized curcumin with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) by the supercritical anti-solvent process to improve the bioavailability of curcumin. The effects of operating parameters such as curcumin/PVP ratio, feed concentration, temperature, pressure, and CO2 flow rate were investigated. The characterization and solubility of particles were determined by using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and ultra-violet-visible spectroscopy. The result shows that the optimal condition for the production of curcumin/PVP particles is at curcumin/PVP ratio of 1:30, feed concentration of 5 mg·mL−1, temperature of 40 °C, pressure of 15 MPa, and CO2 flow rate of 15 mL·min−1. Moreover, the dissolution of curcumin/PVP particles is faster than that of raw curcumin.

Improving antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of curcumin by means of encapsulation in gelatin through electrohydrodynamic atomization

Curcumin is a polyphenol with a wide range of biological properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; however, its use as a food preservative is limited because of its insolubility in water. The present work is an attempt to overcome this problem by means of matrix encapsulation of curcumin in gelatin through electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA). Compact spherical gelatin particles ranging from few nanometers to more than 1 μm in diameter loaded with 10% (w/w) curcumin were successfully obtained, and the encapsulation efficiency being close to 100%. Fluorescence microscopy indicated that the curcumin was homogeneously distributed in the particles, while modulated differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the curcumin was intimately mixed with gelatin polymer, and a complete loss of curcumin crystallinity was observed in the solid dispersion. Furthermore, the UV–visible spectrum of dissolved/dispersed particles showed a shift of the maximum absorbance of curcumin toward lower wavelengths, indicating gelatin–curcumin interactions. The water solubility of curcumin increased 38.6-fold after it had been encapsulated in gelatin microparticles. With regard to antioxidant properties, they increased when blended with gelatin compared with commercial curcumin powder. Although antibacterial activity of raw curcumin was negligible at concentrations up to 100 mg/ml, gelatin-encapsulated curcumin at 4 mg/ml reduced the microbial population by 2.08, 1.67, 2.70, and 2.18 log counts (CFU/ml) for L. monocytogenes, S. enterica, S. aureus, and E. coli, respectively. Accordingly, it was proved that encapsulation of curcumin in gelatin particles by EHDA greatly improved its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, thus broadening its potential use as a food preservative.

Precipitation of curcumin by pressure reduction of CO2-expanded acetone

In this work, a technique of precipitation by pressure reduction of gas-expanded liquids (PPRGEL) has been utilized to precipitate ultra-fine particles of curcumin. Curcumin is a natural and pharmaceutically viable compound found in Indian spice, turmeric and possesses several medicinal properties. However, it suffers from low bioavailability due to its poor solubility in aqueous medium. Precipitation of ultrafine particles of such compounds improves their bioavailability due to increase in surface area and hence the dissolution rates. The PPRGEL process precipitates ultra-fine particles by generating large, rapid and uniform supersaturation in the solution produced by a sudden and large reduction (40–70K) in the solution temperature in a very short time (as low as 1min). In this work it was found that the particle size, size distribution and polymorphic behaviour of precipitated curcumin particles depends on initial CO2 pressure as well as on the additives used. Curcumin particles mostly precipitated in monoclinic form. However, curcumin particles precipitated at 40bar and with additives such as Tween 80 and PF68 were found to precipitate as a mixture of orthorhombic and monoclinic forms. Dissolution studies show that the precipitated curcumin particles dissolve faster than raw curcumin. Further, a mathematical model was used to estimate supersaturation, nucleation rates, growth rates and average sizes of particles precipitated by PPRGEL. Comparison of experimental particle sizes with the predicted particle sizes suggests that at lower initial pressures, heterogeneous nucleation mechanism dominates the particle formation process and at higher initial pressures, homogeneous nucleation mechanism seems to dominate the particle formation process.

Synthesis and Characterization of Inhalable Flavonoid Nanoparticle for Lung Cancer Cell Targeting

Current cancer treatments are not adequate to cure cancer disease, as most chemotherapeutic drugs do not differentiate between cancerous and non-cancerous cells; which lead to systemic toxicity and adverse effects. We have developed a promising approach to deliver a potential anti-cancer compound (curcumin) for lung cancer treatment through pulmonary delivery. Three different sizes of curcumin micellar nanoparticles (Cur-NPs) were fabricated and their cytotoxicity effects (proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression) were evaluated against non-small-cell lung cancer, human lung carcinoma (A549) and human lung adenocarcinoma (Calu-3). The in vitro cytotoxicity assay showed that Cur-NPs were more effective to kill lung cancer cells compared to DMSO-solubilised raw curcumin. The potency of the anti-cancer killing activities was size-dependent. Both raw curcumin and Cur-NPs were not toxic to healthy lung cells (BEAS-2B). Smaller Cur-NPs accumulated within nucleus, membrane and cytoplasm. Cur-NPs also induced apoptosis and caused G2/M arrest in both A549 and Calu-3 cell lines. Compared to raw curcumin, Cur-NPs were more effective in suppressing the expression of the inflammatory marker, Interleukin-8 (IL8). The aerosol performance of Cur-NPs was characterized using the next generation impactor (NGI). All Cur-NPs showed promising aerosolization property with mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) ranging between 4.8-5.2 and 2.0-2.1, respectively. This study suggests that inhaled curcumin nanoparticles could potentially be used for lung cancer treatment with minimal side effects.

EMERGING TREND IN ADRESSING THE CHALLENGES TO ORAL NANOCURCUMIN DELIVERY TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM CANCER

Present work was investigated for enhancement of solubility, bioavailability and anti-cancer activity of curcumin, a potent natural anticancer agent. Solid microdispersion of curcumin was prepared by melt granulation technique using Gelucire® 50/13 as a hydrophilic carrier followed by adsorbtion on Aeroperl® 300 Pharma. Compatibility among curcumin and excipients were checked using FT-IR, DSC and XRD analysis. The prepared microdispersion was characterized for percent drug content, entrapment efficiency, surface morphology, particle size, solubility, bio-availability and anticancer activity. DSC analysis study had shown complete encapsulation of raw curcumin which was further supported by XRD study showing flat peaks. A 32 full factorial response surface quadratic model demonstrated the positive effect upon change in the concentration of independent variables viz. Gelucire® 50/13 and Aeroperl® 300 Pharma on dependent variables particle size; % entrapment efficiency. TEM analysis confirmed the nano particulate dispersion upon dilution in distilled water with many fold increased in solubility. Maximum solubility was observed in acidic buffer pH 1.2. In vivo study revealed increased in bio-availability in Wistar rats as compared to raw curcumin by HPLC analysis. In MTT assay study, curcumin microdispersion has shown more prominent anti-cancer activity than raw curcumin on breast cancer cell line culture, MCF-7. From above study, it may be concluded that implementation of this innovative approach could be a better alternative for oral nanocurcumin delivery to improve the quality of life patients suffering from cancer.

Solid-State Phase Transformations and Storage Stability of Curcumin Polymorphs

Curcumin crystallizes in three polymorphic forms. Form 1 exists as a monoclinic structure, whereas Forms 2 and 3 exist as orthorhombic structures. The aim of this work was to understand the polymorphic behavior of curcumin and the stability of the forms of curcumin. Liquid antisolvent precipitation of curcumin in the presence of ultrasound and additives results in the precipitation of curcumin in orthorhombic forms (Form 2 or Form 3), whereas raw curcumin and curcumin particles precipitated without ultrasound and without additives exist in monoclinic form. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) experiments reveal that both of the orthorhombic forms (Forms 2 and 3), which precipitated in the presence of ultrasound and additives, transform to a monoclinic form (Form 1) upon heating. The orthorhombic form (Form 3) in particles, which precipitated in the presence of ultrasound only (no additives), transforms directly to a monoclinic form (Form 1) upon heating. On the other hand, the orthorhombic form (Form ...

Particle formation pathways and polymorphism of curcumin induced by ultrasound and additives during liquid antisolvent precipitation

Precipitation of curcumin, a poorly water-soluble drug, has been carried out by the liquid antisolvent technique in the presence of ultrasound and stabilizers. Curcumin particles with varied morphology were observed to have formed during precipitation in the presence of ultrasound and additives such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Tween 80, hydroxyl propyl methylcellulose (HPMC), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Characterization of the precipitated particles reveals that curcumin particles precipitated with ultrasound and large polymeric stabilizers such as HPMC, PVP, and BSA are superstructures formed by aggregation of several primary curcumin nanoparticles. The particles in these cases appeared to be loose aggregates (of ~1–5 μm in size) composed of several curcumin nanoparticles (~50–200 nm in size). On the other hand, curcumin particles precipitated in the presence of ultrasound and without additive as well as small-molecule stabilizers like SDS and Tween 80 appear more fused (the primary building blocks of these particles were not clearly visible). Moreover, curcumin particles precipitated in the presence of ultrasound only and particles precipitated in the presence of ultrasound along with additives were found to exist in the orthorhombic form, whereas raw curcumin and curcumin particles precipitated without any additive and without ultrasound were found to exist in the monoclinic form. The results obtained in this work suggest that curcumin particles with the desired physical form and morphology can be engineered through a careful manipulation/choice of ultrasound and additives during precipitation.