Curcumin delivery system based on a chitosan-liposome encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate framework-8: A potential treatment antioxidant and antibacterial treatment after phacoemulsification

Abstract Curcumin is a natural polyphenol extracted from plants that interacts with various molecular targets and exhibits antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, and anti-aging properties. Due to its various pharmacological activities and high safety margin, curcumin has been used in the prevention and treatment of various diseases, including Alzheimer's, heart, and rheumatic immune diseases. To develop curcumin eye drops that can be used as antioxidant and antibacterial agents after phacoemulsification, we designed a nano-based drug delivery system to improve curcumin bioavailability and duration of action. We successfully prepared a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) coated with chitosan-liposome for curcumin delivery (Cur@ZIF-8/CS-Lip). This system enables sustained curcumin release for over 20 h in vitro and exhibits excellent biosafety, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities. Therefore, we proposed that Cur@ZIF-8/CS-Lip may reduce the incidence of oxidative stress and infections following cataract surgery.