Year: 2026 | Month: April | Volume: 13 | Issue: 4 | Pages: 59-66
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260405
AI-Guided Design and Optimization of Curcumin Nanoemulsions Derived from Curcuma longa for the Prevention of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in the Context of Emerging Partial Artemisinin Resistance
Siti Faiza Aliya1, Zurayya Fadila2, Rauza Sukma Rita3
1Medical Doctor Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
2Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: Rauza Sukma Rita
ABSTRACT
Malaria remains a major public health challenge in tropical countries, particularly in Indonesia, where Plasmodium falciparum is the predominant causative agent and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. The emergence of partial resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT), primarily associated with mutations in the Kelch 13 (K13) gene, poses a critical threat to current treatment efficacy and underscores the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies. Curcumin, a bioactive polyphenolic compound derived from Curcuma longa, has demonstrated promising antimalarial activity through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of hemozoin formation, modulation of parasite-specific molecular targets, and regulation of host inflammatory responses via suppression of NF-κB signaling and oxidative stress. Despite its therapeutic potential, the clinical application of curcumin is limited by its poor bioavailability, rapid degradation, and low gastrointestinal absorption. Nanoemulsion-based drug delivery systems have emerged as a viable approach to overcome these limitations by enhancing solubility, stability, and systemic availability. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence, particularly artificial neural networks (ANN), offers a powerful tool for optimizing nanoemulsion formulations by accurately modeling complex, non-linear relationships among formulation variables and predicting critical parameters such as particle size, stability, and drug release profiles. This study highlights the potential of AI-guided curcumin nanoemulsions as an innovative and sustainable strategy for malaria prevention and management in the context of emerging drug resistance. By combining Indonesia’s rich natural resources with advanced computational approaches, this paradigm may contribute to the development of more effective, accessible, and personalized antimalarial therapies.
Keywords: Malaria; Artemisinin resistance; Curcuma longa; Drug delivery system; Bioavailability; Tropical diseases;
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