In vitro effect on cancer cells: synthesis and preparation of polyurethane membranes for controlled delivery of curcumin.

Urethane polymers (PU) have been prepared from low-molecular weight polylactic acid (PLA) and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a chain extender. These formed the supporting polymeric matrix of curcumin-containing PU membranes which were prepared using a solvent evaporation technique. FTIR and XRD data indicated the molecular-level dispersion and random distribution of curcumin in the polymer matrix, and data were consistent with observations from tensile-strength measurements and from AFM imaging. Determination of water vapor permeability and moisture uptake measurements have indicated that the PU membrane were appropriate for use on human skin. Skin permeation studies of curcumin were consistent with zero order (R² = 0.9874) and with Korsmeyer-Peppas (R² = 0.9978) kinetics-analytical data pointed to permeation by a combination of diffusion and erosion processes, with the latter dominating. The biocompatibility of these PU membranes was indicated by in vitro cytotoxicity studies using 3T3-L1-murine fibroblast cell. The in vitro therapeutic potential of the patches was demonstrated against A549 human lung cancer cells.