A two-step synthetic strategy to obtain a water-soluble derivative of curcumin with improved antioxidant capacity and in vitro cytotoxicity in C6 glioma cells.

A novel water-soluble derivative of curcumin (Cur-[G-2]-OH) was designed and synthesized from accessible raw materials in only two steps with an overall yield of 80%. The modification of curcumin phenol groups with second-generation polyester dendrons (dendronization) as a strategy to achieve an optimal hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance allows the complete water solubilization of the new curcumin derivative (5mg/ml) at room temperature. The therapeutic potential of Cur-[G-2]-OH was investigated in terms of antioxidant capacity, intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity in both rat glioblastoma cells and normal human dermal fibroblasts.