Author(s):
Sakshi Sharma, Ankit Sharma, V.K Gupta, Samriti Sharma
Email(s):
sakshirvr3@gmail.com
DOI:
10.52711/0975-4377.2026.00051 
Address:
Sakshi Sharma, Ankit Sharma, V.K Gupta, Samriti Sharma
Dreamz College of Pharmacy Vill Khilra P.O. Meramasit, Distt, Tehsil, Sundar Nagar, Himachal Pradesh 175036, India.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 18,
Issue - 4,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
Skin disorders, including psoriasis, eczema, acne vulgaris, fungal infections, and chronic wounds, represent a significant global healthcare burden and often require long-term therapeutic management. Although conventional topical formulations such as creams, ointments, and gels are widely employed for the treatment of dermatological conditions, their therapeutic efficacy is frequently limited by poor skin penetration, inadequate drug retention, and low bioavailability. Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), a medicinal plant extensively used in traditional medicine, possesses remarkable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, and wound-healing properties primarily attributed to its bioactive constituent, curcumin. Despite its therapeutic potential, the clinical application of turmeric extract is restricted by poor aqueous solubility, rapid degradation, limited skin permeation, and low bioavailability. Recent advances in nanotechnology have facilitated the development of polymeric nanoparticle-based delivery systems capable of overcoming these limitations. Polymeric nanoparticles prepared using biocompatible and biodegradable polymers such as chitosan, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), gelatin, and alginate have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing the stability, controlled release, skin penetration, and therapeutic efficacy of turmeric-derived bioactive compounds. Encapsulation of turmeric extract within polymeric nanocarriers protects sensitive phytoconstituents from degradation while improving drug localization at the target site. This review summarizes the therapeutic potential of turmeric in dermatological applications, discusses the limitations associated with conventional turmeric delivery, and highlights recent advances in turmeric extract-loaded polymeric nanoparticles for topical drug delivery. Furthermore, formulation strategies, preparation methods, mechanisms of enhanced skin permeation, and future perspectives for clinical translation are discussed. The findings suggest that turmeric-loaded polymeric nanoparticles represent a promising nanotechnological approach for improving the treatment of various skin disorders and may contribute to the development of safer and more effective dermatological therapies.
Cite this article:
Sakshi Sharma, Ankit Sharma, V.K Gupta, Samriti Sharma. Recent Advances in Turmeric Extract-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Topical Delivery in Skin Disorders: A Mini Review. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 2026; 18(4):370-6. doi: 10.52711/0975-4377.2026.00051
Cite(Electronic):
Sakshi Sharma, Ankit Sharma, V.K Gupta, Samriti Sharma. Recent Advances in Turmeric Extract-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Topical Delivery in Skin Disorders: A Mini Review. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Technology. 2026; 18(4):370-6. doi: 10.52711/0975-4377.2026.00051 Available on: https://www.rjpdft.com/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-18-4-13
6. REFERENCES:
1. Proksch E, Brandner JM, Jensen JM. The skin: an indispensable barrier. Exp Dermatol. 2008; 17(12): 1063–1072. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0625.2008.00786. x.
2. Prausnitz MR, Langer R. Transdermal drug delivery. Nat Biotechnol. 2008; 26(11): 1261–1268. doi:10.1038/nbt.1504.
3. Hay RJ, Johns NE, Williams HC, Bolliger IW, Dellavalle RP, Margolis DJ, et al. The global burden of skin disease in 2010: an analysis of the prevalence and impact of skin conditions. J Invest Dermatol. 2014; 134(6): 1527–1534. doi:10.1038/jid.2013.446.
4. Barry BW. Breaching the skin barrier to drugs. Nat Biotechnol. 2004; 22(2):165–167. doi:10.1038/nbt0204-165.
5. Benson HAE. Transdermal drug delivery: penetration enhancement techniques. Curr Drug Deliv. 2005; 2(1): 23–33.
6. Fuloria S, Mehta J, Chandel A, Sekar M, Rani NNIM, Begum MY, et al. A comprehensive review on Curcuma longa and its therapeutic applications. Front Pharmacol. 2022; 13: 891822. doi:10.3389/fphar.2022.891822.
7. Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. Curcumin: a review of its effects on human health. Foods. 2017; 6(10): 92. doi:10.3390/foods6100092.
8. Kunnumakkara AB, Bordoloi D, Padmavathi G, Monisha J, Roy NK, Prasad S, et al. Curcumin, the golden nutraceutical: multitargeting for multiple chronic diseases. Br J Pharmacol. 2017; 174(11): 1325–1348. doi:10.1111/bph.13613.
9. Aggarwal BB, Harikumar KB. Potential therapeutic effects of curcumin: the anti-inflammatory agent. Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009; 41(1): 40–59. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.06.010.
10. Gupta SC, Patchva S, Aggarwal BB. Therapeutic roles of curcumin: lessons learned from clinical trials. AAPS J. 2013; 15(1): 195–218. doi:10.1208/s12248-012-9432-8.
11. Prasad S, Gupta SC, Tyagi AK. Curcumin, a component of turmeric: from farm to pharmacy. J Tradit Complement Med. 2014; 4(1): 1–13. doi:10.4103/2225-4110.124810.
12. Menon VP, Sudheer AR. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2007; 595: 105–125. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-46401-5_3.
13. Teow SY, Liew K, Ali SA, Khoo ASB, Peh SC. Antibacterial action of curcumin against Staphylococcus aureus. Front Pharmacol. 2016; 7:1–7.
14. Rai M, Ingle AP, Pandit R, Paralikar P, Anasane N, Dos Santos CA. Curcumin and curcumin-loaded nanoparticles: antimicrobial activities and future perspectives. Crit Rev Microbiol. 2020; 46(6): 693–716. doi:10.1080/1040841X.2020.1843391.
15. Sidhu GS, Singh AK, Thaloor D, Banaudha KK, Patnaik GK, Srimal RC, et al. Enhancement of wound healing by curcumin in animal models. Wound Repair Regen. 1998; 6(2): 167–177.
16. Panchatcharam M, Miriyala S, Gayathri VS, Suguna L. Curcumin improves wound healing by modulating collagen synthesis. Life Sci. 2006; 78(18): 2087–2095. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2005.10.005.
17. Patra JK, Das G, Fraceto LF, Campos EVR, Rodriguez-Torres MDP, Acosta-Torres LS, et al. Nano based drug delivery systems: recent developments and future prospects. J Nanobiotechnol. 2018; 16:71. doi:10.1186/s12951-018-0392-8.
18. Mohammed MA, Syeda JTM, Wasan KM, Wasan EK. An overview of chitosan nanoparticles and its application in non-parenteral drug delivery. Int J Biol Macromol. 2017; 97: 483–495. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.01.097.
19. Dash M, Chiellini F, Ottenbrite RM, Chiellini E. Chitosan: a versatile biomaterial for pharmaceutical applications. Prog Polym Sci. 2011; 36(8): 981–1014. doi: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2011.02.001.
20. Ma J, Wang Y, Lu R. Mechanism and application of chitosan and its derivatives in transdermal drug delivery systems. Pharmaceuticals. 2022; 15(4): 459. doi:10.3390/ph15040459.
21. Makadia HK, Siegel SJ. Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) as biodegradable controlled drug delivery carrier. Polymers. 2011; 3(3): 1377–1397. doi:10.3390/polym3031377.
22. Danhier F, Ansorena E, Silva JM, Coco R, Le Breton A, Préat V. PLGA-based nanoparticles: an overview of biomedical applications. J Control Release. 2012; 161(2): 505–522. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.01.043.
23. Elzoghby AO. Gelatin-based nanoparticles as drug delivery systems. J Control Release. 2013; 172(3): 1075–1091. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2013.09.027.
24. Lee KY, Mooney DJ. Alginate: properties and biomedical applications. Prog Polym Sci. 2012; 37(1): 106–126. doi: 10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2011.06.003.
25. Calvo P, Remunan-Lopez C, Vila-Jato JL, Alonso MJ. Novel hydrophilic chitosan-polyethylene oxide nanoparticles as protein carriers. J Appl Polym Sci. 1997; 63(1): 125–132.
26. Liu M, Teng CP, Win KY, et al. Polymeric encapsulation of turmeric extract for bioimaging and antimicrobial applications. Macromol Rapid Commun. 2019; 40: e1800216. doi:10.1002/marc.201800216.
27. Karimi N, Ghanbarzadeh B, Hajibonabi F, et al. Turmeric extract-loaded nanoliposomes as antioxidant and antimicrobial nanocarriers. Food Biosci. 2019; 29: 110–117. doi: 10.1016/j.fbio.2019.03.008.
28. Yallapu MM, Jaggi M, Chauhan SC. Curcumin nanoformulations: a future nanomedicine. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2012; 95:1–10. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2012.02.005.
29. Zorzi GK, Carvalho ELS, von Poser GL, Teixeira HF. Nanotechnology-based strategies for association of complex matrices from plant extracts. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2015; 25(4): 426–436. doi: 10.1016/j.bjp.2015.06.018.
30. Husni P, Ramadhania ZM. Plant extract-loaded nanoparticles: a review. Indones J Pharm. 2021; 3(1): 38–49.
31. Chuah LH, Roberts CJ, Billa N, Abdullah S, Rosli R. Chitosan-based drug delivery systems for skin applications. Pharmaceutics. 2023; 15(2): 541. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics15020541.
32. Mohanty C, Sahoo SK. Curcumin and its topical nanoformulations for skin diseases. Biomaterials. 2017; 136: 1–17.
33. Anand P, Kunnumakkara AB, Newman RA, Aggarwal BB. Bioavailability of curcumin: problems and promises. Mol Pharm. 2007; 4(6): 807–818. doi:10.1021/mp700113r.