*Article* **Development of Turmeric Oil—Loaded Chitosan/Alginate Nanocapsules for Cytotoxicity Enhancement against Breast Cancer**

**Htet Htet Moe San 1,2 , Khent Primo Alcantara 1,2 , Bryan Paul I. Bulatao 1,2 , Waraluck Chaichompoo <sup>2</sup> , Nonthaneth Nalinratana 2,3, Apichart Suksamrarn <sup>4</sup> , Opa Vajragupta 2,5 , Pranee Rojsitthisak 2,6 and Pornchai Rojsitthisak 2,7,\***

	- Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

**Abstract:** Turmeric oil (TO) exhibits various biological activities with limited therapeutic applications due to its instability, volatility, and poor water solubility. Here, we encapsulated TO in chitosan/alginate nanocapsules (CS/Alg-NCs) using o/w emulsification to enhance its physicochemical characteristics, using poloxamer 407 as a non-ionic surfactant. TO-loaded CS/Alg-NCs (TO-CS/Alg-NCs) were prepared with satisfactory features, encapsulation efficiency, release characteristics, and cytotoxicity against breast cancer cells. The average size of the fabricated TO-CS/Alg-NCs was around 200 nm; their distribution was homogenous, and their shapes were spherical, with smooth surfaces. The TO-CS/Alg-NCs showed a high encapsulation efficiency, of 70%, with a sustained release of TO at approximately 50% after 12 h at pH 7.4 and 5.5. The TO-CS/Alg-NCs demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity against two breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, compared to the unencapsulated TO, suggesting that CS/Alg-NCs are potential nanocarriers for TO and can serve as prospective candidates for in vivo anticancer activity evaluation.

**Keywords:** *ar*-turmerone; polymeric nanoparticles; anticancer activity; release study; biodegradable polymers
