Chitosan-Hunter Curcumin Cancer Cells

Researchers Faculty of Pharmacy, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, in 2003 obtained a patent Pentagamavunon-0 in the United States, which is a modified curcumin compound inhibiting cancer cells. Chitosan nanoparticles now being developed to bring curcumin to more effectively target the cancer cells.

This (modified curcumin) to anticancer drugs in combination with curcumin in the overlying chitosan nanoparticle size, "says lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Gadjah Mada University, Ronny Martien, Thursday (23 / 6), after receiving the award and research grant from the Bureau Oktroi and the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI) in Jakarta.

Ronny is one of four other young researchers who were given grants by the Bureau of research and AIPI Oktroi. Ronny proposed field of research utilization on Biological Diversity.

Research title "Utilization of Chitosan in Improving Bioavailibilitas Compound Pentagamavunon-0 (PGV-0) as an Analgesic-antiinflammatory drugs with formulations of Nanoparticles".

PGV-0 is a derivative of an analog of curcumin derived from turmeric and ginger rhizome. According to Ronny, PGV-0 studied GMU in cooperation with the Dutch.

Then, PGV-0 patented in the U.S. Patent Number US-6777. 447B2. This is because there are many curcumin research done in this country and has resulted in several patents as well. Curcumin was obtained from turmeric and ginger are widely exported to the U.S. Indonesia.

PGV-0 proved to have the ability to inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX-2) contained in cancer cells. Expression of COX-2 enzyme tends to increase in the cancer cells so it must be inhibited for the healing process.

"PGV-0 as an anticancer drug also has drawbacks in the form keterlarutan level in water is low so it needs to be combined with chitosan with keterlarutan in high water," said Ronny.

Overflow

Ronny argues, an anticancer drug with nanoparticle technology is pursued through the encapsulation of curcumin with 2-5 nanometer-sized chitosan. Availability of raw materials for curcumin and thus likely to be abundant chitosan cheap drugs.

"There are two ways to make the chitosan and curcumin has a size of nanoparticles," said Ronny.

Both methods include the top down and bottom up. Top-down method using a physical principle homogeniser with equipment that does not exist in Indonesia and the cost becomes relatively expensive. Bottom up method, in principle reached by the chemical process of mixing the chitosan and curcumin.

"Currently there is no industry that says it wants to work together to develop this research and manufacture the medicine in the future," he said.

According to him, the abundance of raw materials is a major capital development of drug in the future. PGV-0 easily derived from curcumin, turmeric and ginger rhizome that has suitable habitat in tropical regions in Indonesia.

Chitosan is made of chitin contained in the shells of crustaceans, including crab shells. Shrimp shells, for example, estimated to cover 30-70 percent of the shrimp body part itself so that the shells become abundant waste.

Through the process of purification, the shell will produce chitin as aminopolisakarida compound capable of binding 4-5 times the weight of fat rather than weight chitin itself. To make the chitin as chitosan, taken through the process of chitin hydrolysis by acids and bases.

Chitosan is a chitin that has been removed asetilnya group, and leaving free amine groups makes chitosan is polikationik or positively charged ions.

"Because of the positive charge of chitosan can be affixed with curcumin negatively charged," said Ronny.

Anticancer drug with a combination of chitosan and curcumin-more precisely the PGV-O to the size of these nanoparticle-inserted orally into the patient's body.

Nanoparticle drug is then easily absorbed and enter the blood vessels and tissue cells. Drug will work when the encounter cancer cells, especially inhibiting the enzyme COX-2 in cancer cells.

"Curcumin in this case as a drug or medicine who wish to transfer with chitosan nanoparticles," said Ronny.

In later development, the drug can be altered according to what the patient needs. Drugs with a nanoparticle size will reduce the dose, but Ronny admits, his research has not reached the target precision.

"The pharmaceutical researchers in the world right now is pursuing methods of achieving the target precision for the disease are treated with this nanoparticle drug," said Ronny.

Abundance of raw materials nanoparticle drug became a major capital. However, the persistence and seriousness of all parties to support this research is not less important. In fact, very important.