Abstract
Curcumin is a naturally occurring hydrophobic polyphenolic compound with a rapid metabolism, poor absorption, and low stability, which severely limits its bioavailability. Here, we employed a starch–protein-based nanoparticle approach to improve the curcumin bioavailability. This study focused on synthesizing nanoparticles with a zein “core” and a carboxymethylated short-chain amylose (CSA) “shell” through anti-solvent precipitation for delivering curcumin. The zein@CSA core–shell nanoparticles were extensively characterized for physicochemical properties, structural integrity, ionic stability, in vitro digestibility, and antioxidant activity. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicates nanoparticle formation through hydrogen-bonding, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions between zein and CSA. Zein@CSA core–shell nanoparticles exhibited enhanced stability in NaCl solution. At a zein-to-CSA ratio of 1:1.25, only 15.7% curcumin was released after 90 min of gastric digestion, and 66% was released in the intestine after 240 min, demonstrating a notable sustained release effect. Furthermore, these nanoparticles increased the scavenging capacity of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) free radical compared to those composed solely of zein and were essentially nontoxic to Caco-2 cells. This research offers valuable insights into curcumin encapsulation and delivery using zein@CSA core–shell nanoparticles.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1837 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Foods |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 12 |
Early online date | 11 Jun 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 11 Jun 2024 |
Data Availability Statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.Funding
This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of the Shandong Province (ZR2020QC243, ZR2020QC240, ZR2022QC049), the Foreign Expert Project (G2022025008L), the High-level Talent Start-up Fund from Qingdao Agricultural University (No. 665/1120022), and Qingdao Natural Science Foundation (23-2-1-41-zyyd-jch).
Funders | Funder number |
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Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province | ZR2020QC240, ZR2020QC243, ZR2022QC049 |
Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province | |
Qingdao Agricultural University | 665/1120022 |
Qingdao Agricultural University | |
Foreign Expert Project | G2022025008L |
Natural Science Foundation of Qingdao Municipality | 23-2-1-41-zyyd-jch |
Keywords
- anti-solvent precipitation
- biopolymer molecular interactions
- carboxymethylated short-chain amylose
- core–shell nanoparticles
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Food Science
- Microbiology
- Health(social science)
- Health Professions (miscellaneous)
- Plant Science