Polymeric nanomicelles for piperine delivery: Preparation, characterization and evaluation of antioxidant and in-vivo anti-inflammatory properties

Purpose Piperine, one of the bioactive alkaloids, exhibits restricted therapeutic effectiveness owing to its inadequate solubility and bioavailability. Nanomicelles hold great potential as drug delivery systems for drugs with low water solubility. This study aimed to create micelles that contain tragacanth gum, vitamin D, and folic acid to encapsulate piperine. Methods Piperine was isolated from black pepper and subsequently loaded on synthesized polymeric micelles. The antioxidant activity of piperine-loaded micelles was tested by DPPH⋅ radical method. Moreover, the peripheral anti-inflammatory activity of nanomicelles was assessed using the formalin-induced paw edema method. Results According to the results obtained from this investigation, the utilization of nanomicelles demonstrated an enhancement in the radical scavenging activity of piperine, consequently leading to a notable reduction in the required dosage of piperine for its anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion The findings indicate that the utilization of synthesized micelle as an innovative targeted delivery system could potentially augment the therapeutic characteristics of piperine.