{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T11:34:09Z","timestamp":1786448049020,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":94,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1786406400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation","award":["CVU 858785"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CVU 858785"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomolecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cataracts are the leading cause of reversible blindness worldwide; this condition results from the aggregation of lens proteins. Currently, surgery remains the only treatment; however, there is growing interest in non-surgical approaches, including the use of bioactive compounds incorporated into nanostructured systems designed to enhance solubility, enable controlled release, and improve bioavailability and bioactivity. Among the bioactive compounds investigated, curcumin has attracted considerable attention due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, positioning it as a potential anticataractogenic agent. In the present study, curcumin-loaded nanoemulsion was developed via ultrasonication and characterized by average particle size, D90 percentile, \u03b6 potential, and rheological behavior. In addition, its anti-cataract efficacy was evaluated both using an in vivo model in rats and an ex vivo model employing human cataract samples. The resulting curcumin-loaded nanoemulsion exhibited an average particle size of 152 \u00b1 19.79 nm with a monomodal distribution, along with good physical stability over time. The nanoemulsion exhibited apparent viscosity between 30 and 25 mPa\u00b7s, at shear rate values (100 to 0 s\u22121), indicating slight shear-thinning behavior. Regarding the effect on cataracts, in the in vivo model, cataract reversal was observed. Furthermore, ex vivo isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) analyses indicated exothermic heat exchange between the curcumin nanoemulsions and cataract fragments, consistent with binding interactions occurring within lens components, likely involving crystallin proteins. These findings provide biophysical and in vivo evidence that intravitreally administered curcumin-loaded nanoemulsions not only prevent but actively reverse lens opacity, positioning them as a promising non-surgical therapeutic approach for cataract treatment.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biom16081166","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T10:32:16Z","timestamp":1786444336000},"page":"1166","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Curcumin Nanoemulsion: Characterization and Effect on Cataracts in an In Vivo Animal Model and Ex Vivo Human Model"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4609-9678","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana G.","family":"Castillo-Olmos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad de Investigaci\u00f3n y Desarrollo en Alimentos, Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico-Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Veracruz, M.A. de Quevedo 2779, Veracruz 91897, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7577-0898","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Abigail","family":"Varela-P\u00e9rez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad de Investigaci\u00f3n y Desarrollo en Alimentos, Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico-Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Veracruz, M.A. de Quevedo 2779, Veracruz 91897, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5805-0201","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hugo S.","family":"Garc\u00eda-Galindo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad de Investigaci\u00f3n y Desarrollo en Alimentos, Tecnol\u00f3gico Nacional de M\u00e9xico-Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Veracruz, M.A. de Quevedo 2779, Veracruz 91897, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3502-3996","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joaqu\u00edn A.","family":"Quiroz-Mercado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Departamento de Medicina Cirug\u00eda y Zootecnia para Peque\u00f1as Especies, Universidad Nacional Aut\u00f3noma de M\u00e9xico, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad de M\u00e9xico 04510, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kimberly","family":"Casta\u00f1eda-Guti\u00e9rrez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LABRMN, Centro de Investigaciones Qu\u00edmicas, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n en Ciencias B\u00e1sicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6300-0241","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carlos","family":"Amero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LABRMN, Centro de Investigaciones Qu\u00edmicas, Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n en Ciencias B\u00e1sicas y Aplicadas, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8170-6379","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enrique","family":"Rudi\u00f1o-Pi\u00f1era","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratorio de Bioqu\u00edmica Estructural, Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnolog\u00eda, Universidad Nacional Aut\u00f3noma de M\u00e9xico (UNAM), Av. Universidad 2001, Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mizraim","family":"Morales-Mendoza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Oftalmolog\u00eda, Hospital Regional B de Alta Especialidad ISSSTE Veracruz, Av. 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