Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39856354›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2025

In situ forming gels as subcutaneous delivery systems of curcumin and piperine.

Walter Pula, Alessia Pepe, Francesca Ferrara, Agnese Bondi, Paolo Mariani, Maria Grazia Ortore, Alessandra Pecorelli, John Ivarsson, Giuseppe Valacchi, Elisabetta Esposito

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Walter PulaDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Alessia PepeDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, I-60131, Ancona, Italy.
Francesca FerraraDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Agnese BondiDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Paolo MarianiDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, I-60131, Ancona, Italy.
Maria Grazia OrtoreDepartment of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, I-60131, Ancona, Italy.
Alessandra PecorelliDepartment of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy.
John IvarssonPlants for Human Health Institute, Animal Science Department, NC State University, NC Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC, 28081, USA.
Giuseppe ValacchiDepartment of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy. vlcgpp@unife.it.
Elisabetta EspositoDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, I-44121, Ferrara, Italy. ese@unife.it.

Funding

Italian Ministry of University and Research PRIN 2022 (2022MC2SKF),Università degli Studi di Ferrara FAR 2023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In this study an in situ forming gel for curcumin and piperine delivery is investigated as a long-lasting strategy in the local treatment of inflammatory and degenerative joint disease, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Particularly glyceryl monooleate, in association with phosphatidylcholine and ethanol, were employed. Different ratios between excipients were tested, with the aim to obtain a liquid form suitable for subcutaneous injection, gaining a semisolid consistency in contact with biological fluids. A formulative study was conducted to assess the composition impact on the structural properties of the formulations, particularly focusing on injectability and phase transition. Curcumin and piperine were loaded, singularly or jointly, in selected in situ forming gels. Structural characterization, performed by X-ray scattering, revealed disordered reverse micellar phases, undergoing transition to hexagonal and cubic Pn3m phase upon hydration. In vitro dialysis release study demonstrated a sustained release of both drugs over 96 h, with a faster release in the case of jointly loaded drugs. Mechanistic analysis and water uptake studies indicated a drug release governed by both diffusion and swelling/erosion of the lipid supramolecular structure. Furthermore, an ex vivo release analysis performed using human skin explants suggested the formulation suitability for subcutaneous injection, indicating that the presence of piperine in the in situ formed gel allowed to double the curcumin release with respect to the simple curcumin loaded gel.

Indexed as

AlkaloidsBenzodioxolesCurcuminDrug Delivery SystemsPiperidinesPolyunsaturated AlkamidesDrug LiberationGelsHumansInjections, SubcutaneousSkinAlkaloidsBenzodioxolesCurcuminGelsPiperidinespiperinePolyunsaturated AlkamidesCurcuminGlyceryl MonooleateHexagonal phasePiperineSkin

Identifiers

PMID39856354
PMCPMC11759670

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.