Efficiency of an oral delivery system based on a liposomal form of a combination of curcumin with a balanced amount of n-3 and n-6 PUFAs encapsulated in an electrostatic complex of WPI with chitosan

Abstract

A water-soluble liposomal form was successfully developed based on phosphatidylcholine liposomes (PC) loaded by a combination of curcumin (CUR) with a balanced amount of n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which were encapsulated in an electrostatic complex of whey protein isolate (WPI) with chitosan [WPI− (PC−FO−CUR)]−CHIT. The encapsulation of (PC−FO−CUR) liposomes first by WPI (with the efficiency of encapsulation (EE) = 61 ± 7%), and then by CHIT (EE = 83.5 ± 6.6%), also made it possible to obtain nanosized particles with 100% solubility in an aqueous medium. To take full advantage of these supramolecular systems, we set out to achieve a deep understanding of the relationships between their structure and functionality immediately after their formation, during storage under adverse environmental conditions, as well as during digestion in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in vitro according to INFOGEST research protocol. A deep understanding of these relationships could show promise for their use as functional ingredients for new formulations of excipient, functional or therapeutic foods. The studied functional properties included an encapsulating ability, water solubility, protective ability, as well as release of bioactive substances in the GIT in vitro. To achieve the goal of the study, we used a number of physicochemical methods (electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPRS); laser light scattering in static, dynamic and electrophoretic modes; transmission electron microscopy; spectrophotometry; and tensiometry).