Authors : Minal Raut; Kajal Bondre; Kirti Charde; Rushika Jaiswal; Ashika Rewatkar; Vaishali Kilor

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 2 - February

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Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mtbtpex2

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26feb956

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Abstract : Curcumin is a bioactive polyphenol with promising therapeutic potential; however, its clinical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility, low stability, and inadequate bioavailability. The present study aimed to enhance curcumin solubility and absorption through ionic salt formation with choline chloride followed by incorporation into a selfmicroemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS). The synthesized salt showed reduced melting point and improved solubility. The optimized SMEDDS exhibited nanosized droplets, high drug content, and significantly enhanced in vitro drug release and ex vivo permeation compared to plain curcumin. The findings suggest that combining ionic salt formation with SMEDDS technology effectively improves curcumin solubility, stability, and bioavailability.

Keywords : Curcumin; Choline Chloride; Ionic Liquid Salt; Self-Microemulsifying Drug Delivery System (SMEDDS); Solubility Enhancement; Microemulsion; Dissolution Rate; Bioavailability Improvement.

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