Liposomes and Exosome-Like Nanoparticles for Curcumin Delivery to the Gut and to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Curcumin [1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione] is the main active phytopharmaceutical agent of turmeric, the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. It exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and wound healing effects. For these reasons, curcumin is a promising candidate to manage or control inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, affecting several million individuals worldwide. However, the major obstacles of using curcumin as an anti-inflammatory and anticancer agent are represented by its low stability, solubility, and bioavailability. Liposomes and exosome-like nanoparticles (of mammalian and plant origin) have been conceived to overcome these hurdles and deliver curcumin to intestinal epithelial cells as well as the immune cells in the intestine. Therefore, using liposomes and exosomes-like nanoparticles loaded with curcumin as a targeted therapy in IBD is suggested to be beneficial. In this chapter, we will present liposome and exosome-like nanoparticles delivery systems to treat IBD, highlighting that more in-depth research is warranted to verify if these curcumin-based nanoformulations will have a therapeutic impact.