The Antiviral Effects of Curcumin Nanomicelles on the Attachment and Entry of Hepatitis C Virus

Background and Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of the Flaviviridae family, which causes approximately 500,000 deaths annually. HCV infection treatment is often associated with significant adverse effects. Curcumin is an active ingredient of turmeric which has therapeutic anti-inflammatory effects in many diseases including infectious ones. Although curcumin is not soluble in water, if it is synthesized in the form of nanomicelles, it will be water soluble and can be absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (GI). In this study, the antiviral effects of curcumin nanomicelles were investigated on the attachment and entry of HCV particles. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxicity of curcumin nanomicelles was determined in Huh7.5 cells and their antiviral effects on the attachment and entry of HCV was investigated in a cell culture system. Results: Curcumin nanomicelles could decrease the viral load in the cell culture supernatants compared to virus control. Conclusions: According to the results of this research, we determined the antiviral effects of curcumin nanomicelles in the later stages of HCV replication.