Water Solubility Of Curcumin Research Articles

Water-Soluble Curcumin Derivatives Including Aza-Crown Ether Macrocycles as Enhancers of their Cytotoxic Activity.

The synthesis of three novel curcumin derivative compounds, featuring aza-crown ether macrocycles of various sizes (aza-12-crown-4, aza-15-crown-5, and aza-18-crown-6), is described. The incorporation of these aza-crown macrocycles significantly enhances their water solubility, positioning them as groundbreaking instances of curcumin derivatives that are fully soluble in aqueous environments. These curcumin ligands (L1, L2, and L3) were then reacted with zinc acetate to afford the coordination metal complexes (L1-Zn, L2-Zn, and L3-Zn). Comprehensive characterization of all compounds was achieved using various analytical techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (ESI+), elemental analysis and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of both, ligands and complexes were evaluated on three human cancer cell lines (U-251, MCF-7, and SK-LU-1). Compared to conventional curcumin, these compounds demonstrated improved antiproliferative potential. Additionally, a wound healing assay was conducted to assess their antimigration properties. The obtained results suggest that these modifications to the curcumin structure represent a promising approach for developing therapeutic agents with enhanced cytotoxic properties.

Integrating strategy to investigate the formation and stabilization mechanisms of Curcumin-Cyclodextrin inclusion complexes: experimental characterizations and multi-scale computational simulations.

The Cyclodextrin (CD) encapsulation technology can significantly enhance the water solubility of Curcumin (CUR) and effectively protect it against chemical degradations. In the current study, a combination of experimental and multi-scale computational approaches was used to investigate the binding mechanism between CUR and β-CDs (β-CD, 2-HP-β-CD, Me-β-CD, and DM-β-CD). Phase solubility studies showed that β-CDs exhibited a strong binding affinity with CUR and significantly enhanced its solubility. SEM, PXRD, DSC, and TG analysis confirmed the formation of inclusion complexes, resulting in the transition of CUR from crystalline to an amorphous state. FTIR, 1H, and 13CNMR spectra deduced that CUR may have multiple binding conformations with β-CDs. The rationality of molecular dynamics simulation systems was confirmed by comparing the simulated IR spectrum from quantum mechanics with the experimental IR spectrum. MM-PBSA and umbrella sampling simulation calculated the binding free energy of the CUR/CD inclusion complexes, ranking Me-β-CD > DM-β-CD > 2-HP-β-CD > β-CD, and clarified that van der Waals interaction played a major role in stabilizing the inclusion complexes. RDF analysis confirmed that the release of high-energy water molecules drove the formation of the CUR/CD inclusion complex, and the β-CD substituents affected their exterior hydration layer. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) and non-covalent interaction analysis revealed three CUR/CD binding modes: bead-on-string, terminal insertion, and V-shaped-folding. The research strategy adopted here can serve as a paradigm for investigating the encapsulation mechanism of poorly soluble drugs with CDs.

Development of egg yolk lipoprotein hydrolysate for nano-delivery of curcumin: Structure-function relationship

Curcumin is a lipophilic polyphenol extracted from the rhizomes of the turmeric plant, exhibiting versatile biological activities. However, its poor solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility present barriers to its effective use in foods or nutraceutical supplements. Egg yolk lipoprotein is a class of natural protein-lecithin composite found in egg yolks with a strong affinity for different hydrophobic active ingredients. In this study, egg yolk lipoprotein hydrolysate was employed to encapsulate hydrophobic curcumin, thereby increasing its solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility. The resulting curcumin-loaded nanoparticles had an average size of 680.9 nm, a zeta potential of around −30 mV, and an encapsulation rate of up to 68.4 %. The solubility of curcumin in water increased by 80 times while maintaining excellent thermal and storage stability. Fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that the assembly process was driven by hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. The bioavailability of curcumin in nanoparticles has been improved to 30 %, a tenfold increase. These results suggested that egg yolk lipoprotein hydrolysate, a novel peptide-lecithin complex nanoparticle, can improve the stability and bioavailability of hydrophobic polyphenols.

Inorganic salt-induced micellar morphologies in deep eutectic solvent: Structure and curcumin solubilization

Physico-spectroscopic data of deep eutectic solvent (DES, aquolines (choline chloride, ChCl: water (1:2 (DES I), 1:3 (DES II), 1:4 (DES III), and 1:5 (DES IV)) have been collected. The data differentiates DES I to DES III (DESs) from DES IV (molecular solution of ChCl). DESs (aquolines) are used to study association structures of surfactant + salt systems using spectrofluorometry, polarizing optical microscopy (POM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). POM images show the formation of giant aggregates (vesicles, up to 3.3 µm) in DTAB – aquoline – salt system which was further confirmed using DLS. These systems show excessive solubility enhancement of the poorly water-soluble curcumin (CCM), a well-known natural drug and food ingredient. Solubility of CCM shows the following order: water < DES < DES + salt < DTAB-DESs < DTAB-salt-aquoline. CCM shows up to 250-fold solubility in DTAB-KNO3-DES I system compared to water. The work forging a new methodology of achieving giant amphiphilic aggregates and their application in improving the aqueous solubilities/extraction of hydrophobic materials.

Enhanced curcumin solubility in epichlorohydrin engineered β-Cyclodextrin copolymer for gastric maladies

The present work relates to a β-cyclodextrin based drug delivery system with epichlorohydrin as cross-linking agent, with higher binding efficiency of the drug curcumin and enhanced solubility of the curcumin in complex form when simulated in gastric fluid and increased sustained release of curcumin from complex for 2 h to act in gastric region. Although cross-linking with epichlorohydrin (EPC) is a process studied long time ago, however its use as a gastric solubility enhancer for curcumin has been studied for the first time. The synthesized polymer was well characterized by FT-IR, SEM, XRD, TGA and particle size analysis. The polymer enhanced the water solubility of curcumin by ∼ 800–850 times and the gastric solubility was increased by ∼ 1400–1500 times and acted as a sustained release system as verified by the pepsin inhibition studies which makes it a potential drug carrier for gastric specific drug targeting that can be a promising treatment for gastritis and gastric ulcers.

Water soluble curcumin with alkyl sulfonate moiety: Synthesis, and anticancer efficacy

Curcumin is classified as a chemotherapeutic medication because of its potential against numerous cancer cell lines and ability to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Despite these findings, curcumin has yet to be commercialized as a drug due to its low water solubility, low absorption, and restricted bioavailability. As a result, there is a demand for water-soluble curcumin with improved solubility, bioavailability, and thus bioactivity. In this study we report the synthesis and the anticancer activities of water-soluble curcumins derivatives with alkyl sulfonate moiety. The target water-soluble curcumin with alkyl sulfonate moieties was created utilizing a straightforward technique that involved reacting curcumin with various sultones. The cytotoxic (24 h) and cytostatic (72 h) anticancer effect on breast carcinoma (MCF-7), liver carcinoma (HepG2), skin melanoma (B16–F110), colon human cancer and HeLa cervical carcinoma cell lines viability % via MTT assay were determined for the prepared derivatives. Results showed that curcumin-derived compounds have a pronounced cytostatic anticancer effect rather than cytotoxic one in relation to the compound type, cancer cell line type, and examined concentration compared to curcumin. The curcumin sulfonates outperformed curcumin activity against the tested cancer cells and showed to be powerful anticancer candidate drugs as supported by the theoretical calculations. This is evident by their high capacity to form H-bonding during docking with the amino acid side chains and the Vina docking score.

Phenylboronic acid functionalized dextran loading curcumin as nano-therapeutics for promoting the bacteria-infected diabetic wound healing

Chronic bacterial infections, excessive inflammation, and oxidative stress significantly hinder diabetic wound healing by prolonging the inflammatory phase and complicating the healing process. In this study, phenylboronic acid functionalized dextran (PODP) was developed to encapsulate curcumin, referred to as PODP@Cur. Experimental results indicate that PODP significantly improves the water solubility of curcumin and exhibits synergistic biological activity both in vitro and in vivo. PODP@Cur is capable of accelerating drug release under the pathological microenvironment with ROS accumulation. Furthermore, phenylboronic acid (PBA) has demonstrated potential for targeted bacterial drug delivery, enhancing antibacterial efficacy and trapping free LPS/PGN from dead bacteria to reduce undesirable inflammation. In a diabetic mouse model, PODP@Cur exhibits an excellent antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities to ultimately promote the efficient and safe wound healing. Due to the specific interaction between PBA and LPS, PODP@Cur could enhance antibacterial activity against bacteria, reduce toxic side effects on normal cells, and alleviate the LPS-mediated pro-inflammatory pathological microenvironment. Therefore, PODP@Cur is capable of being exploited as an efficient and safe candidate for promoting the bacteria-infected diabetic wound healing.

Curcumin-Enclosed Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy

Abstract: Cancer is the greatest cause of mortality worldwide, and it is distinguished by the unrestrained proliferation of a group of aberrant cells, the random division of cells, and the invasiveness of genetically organized cells. At present, there are various strategies for curing of cancer-based on the type &amp; severity. In the earlier two decades, curcumin has received huge attention in pharmacological, biological, and nutraceutical research. In addition to triggering apoptosis in cancer cells, curcumin also inhibits cancer cell invasion and proliferation by stifling cellular signaling pathways. The lower water solubility of curcumin decreases the oral bioavailability, absorption into the systemic circulation, and chemical stability and finally bound the activity of curcumin as an anticancer agent. The pharmacology of curcumin, as well as its derivatives with relation to its anticancer potential, primary modes of action, &amp; cellular target, has been summarised in this article along with a list of the numerous curcumin enclosing nanoformulations. Multiple methods of administration have been developed for curcumin to boost its specificity. Encapsulation and other formulation processing techniques have been found to enhance both the solubility and bioavailability of curcumin. The nanoparticles' size, shape, surface characteristics, and targeting ligand are all factors that nanoformulation designers must think about when working to increase the efficacy and cellular targeting of anticancer treatments.

Stable Dietary Ora-Curcumin Formulation Protects from Experimental Colitis and Colorectal Cancer.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gut disorder that also elevates the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The global incidence and severity of IBD are rising, yet existing therapies often lead to severe side effects. Curcumin offers potent anti-inflammatory and chemotherapeutic properties. However, its clinical translation is hindered by rapid metabolism, as well as poor water solubility and stability, which limits its bioavailability. To address these challenges, we developed OC-S, a water-soluble and colon-targeted curcumin formulation that protects against colitis in mice. The current study advances OC-S as a dietary supplement by establishing its stability and compatibility with various commercial dietary products. Further, OC-S exhibited specific binding to inflamed colon tissue, potentially aiding in targeted drug retention at the inflammation site in colitis with diarrhea symptoms. We further investigated its efficacy in vivo and in vitro using a murine model of colitis and tumoroids from APCmin mice. OC-S significantly reduced colitis severity and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression compared with curcumin, even at very low doses (5 mg/kg/day). It also demonstrated higher anti-proliferative activity in CRC cells and colon cancer tumoroids vs. curcumin. Overall, this study demonstrated that OC-S effectively targets and retains water-soluble curcumin at the inflamed colon sites, while showing promise in addressing both colitis and colorectal cancer, which potentially paves the way for OC-S to advance into clinical development as a dietary product for both IBD and CRC.

Characteristics, physicochemical stability and in vitro release of curcumin-loaded glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibrils: Effects of molecular weight of saccharide

The goal of this study is to fabricate glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibrils as efficient curcumin nano-delivery systems to enhance its water solubility, storage stability against environmental stress, chemical stability and in vitro antioxidant activity, which can widely be applied in real food products. Glycosylation exhibited almost no impacts on the morphology of bovine serum albumin nanofibril as revealed by atomic force microscopy, regardless of saccharide types. Glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibrils possessed nanometric diameter (less than 15 nm) and micrometric length (1–1.5 μm). Glycation further enhanced the surface hydrophobicity of bovine serum albumin nanofibrils and its curcumin binding capacity. Water solubility of curcumin was sharply enhanced with bovine serum albumin nanofibril-based nanocarriers and curcumin-bovine serum albumin nanofibrils-glucose exhibited the highest aqueous solubility (50.2%). There was a strong positive proportion between curcumin solubility and surface hydrophobicity of bovine serum albumin nanofibril-based nanocarriers. Fluorescence data demonstrated that the formation of curcumin-glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibril nanocomposites was mainly through hydrophobic interactions. All three glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibrils were resistant to pH variation, high salt and heating. The chemical stability of curcumin was remarkably enhanced through glycation and there was a negative correlation between the chemical stability of curcumin and molecular weight of saccharides. Antioxidant capacities (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and reducing power) of curcumin were dramatically soared through complexation with three glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibrils and the antioxidant activity of glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibril was negatively correlated with the molecular weight of saccharides. The release of curcumin in bovine serum albumin nanofibril nanocomposites could be controlled through glycation. Generally, this research indicates that the glycated bovine serum albumin nanofibril would be employed to load, stabilize, and deliver hydrophobic nutraceuticals and expand the food application.

Preparation of valine-curcumin conjugate and its in vitro antibacterial and antitumor activity and in vivo biological effects on American eels (Anguilla rostrata)

Curcumin (Cur) exhibits diverse natural pharmacological activities, despite its limited water solubility (hydrophobicity) and low bioavailability. In this investigation, a valine-curcumin conjugate (Val-Cur) was synthesized through amino acid side chain modification, and its solubility increased to 1.78 mg/mL. In vitro experimental findings demonstrated that the antibacterial activity of Val-Cur against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus was significantly superior to that of Cur. The inhibition rate of Val-Cur against HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells was higher than that of Cur at low concentrations (below 25 μmol/L), although the IC50 value of Val-Cur did not differ significantly from that of Cur. In vivo biological effects of Val-Cur were assessed by adding it into the feed (150 mg/kg) of American eels (Anguilla rostrata). Val-Cur significantly improved the growth performance (↑weight gain rate, ↑specific growth rate, and ↓feed conversion rate) and activities of intestinal digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase) in American eels. Additionally, Val-Cur significantly improved serum biochemical indices (↑high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, ↓low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, ↓aspartate and alanine aminotransferases). Furthermore, Val-Cur increased intestinal microbial diversity, reduced the abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria (Spiroplasma, Clostridium, and Pseudomonas), and elevated the abundance of beneficial digestion-promoting bacteria (Romboutsia, Phyllobacterium, Romboutsia sedimentorum, and Clostridium butyricum) conducive to glucose metabolism (P < 0.05). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to explore water-soluble curcumin in aquaculture, and the findings will lay the groundwork for the potential application of water-soluble curcumin in the field of aquaculture.

Free Radical Inhibition Using a Water-Soluble Curcumin Complex, NDS27: Mechanism Study Using EPR, Chemiluminescence, and Docking.

There is a growing interest in the use of natural compounds to tackle inflammatory diseases and cancers. However, most of them face the bioavailability and solubility challenges to reaching cellular compartments and exert their potential biological effects. Polyphenols belong to that class of molecules, and numerous efforts have been made to improve and overcome these problems. Curcumin is widely studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as its use as an anticancer agent. However, its poor solubility and bioavailability are often a source of concern with disappointing or unexpected results in cellular models or in vivo, which limits the clinical use of curcumin as such. Beside nanoparticles and liposomes, cyclodextrins are one of the best candidates to improve the solubility of these molecules. We have used lysine and cyclodextrin to form a water-soluble curcumin complex, named NDS27, in which potential anti-inflammatory effects were demonstrated in cellular and in vivo models. Herein, we investigated for the first time its direct free radicals scavenging activity on DPPH/ABTS assays as well as on hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and peroxyl radical species. The ability of NDS27 to quench singlet oxygen, produced by rose bengal photosensitization, was studied, as was the inhibiting effect on the enzyme-catalyzed oxidation of the co-substrate, luminol analog (L012), using horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) system. Finally, docking was performed to study the behavior of NDS27 in the active site of the peroxidase enzyme.

Preparation of water-soluble nanocurcumin with enhanced superoxide scavenging activity

Abstract Background: Curcumin, a curcuminoid derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), has been extensively studied for various bioactivities. However, its limited water solubility and sensitivity to light restrict its therapeutic applications. In recent years, researchers have been exploring ways to enhance the properties of curcumin. In the current investigation, curcumin was transformed into its nanoform by utilizing d-glucose in an aqueous phase at room temperature, creating water-soluble nanocurcumin. Since this study focuses on altering the architecture of the curcumin sphere, it has been examined explicitly for antioxidant activity through well-defined in vitro assays. Materials and Methods: Nanocurcumin was synthesized through the conversion of curcumin using d-glucose. The zeta potential of nanocurcumin was measured to assess its water solubility. The orientation of curcumin in its nanoform was confirmed through ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy and photoluminescence. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) was employed to provide evidence of its potential assembly. At the same time, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was conducted to discern alterations in peaks and stretches indicative of the transition to the nanoform. The prepared nanocurcumin was examined for superoxide and free radical scavenging activities, given curcumin’s well-known antioxidant properties. Results: The zeta potential measurement of nanocurcumin yielded a mean value of −53.4 mV. The nanoform orientation of curcumin was confirmed through UV–Vis spectroscopy, revealing a shift in the maximum absorption from 450 to 430 nm. Photoluminescence analysis, conducted with excitation at a wavelength of 478 nm, recorded a significant 5.01-fold increase in fluorescence intensity, from 193.6 to 971.8 a.u., accompanied by a slight shift in the emission maxima peak. HR-TEM was done, and various field images have been taken. Some images illustrated the probable assembly of curcumin into a spherical nanoform with a shell-like structure embedded inside the glucose sphere. Fourier-transform infrared analysis indicated alterations in some peaks and stretches due to the transition to the nanoform. Upon examination of the prepared nanocurcumin for superoxide and free radical scavenging activity, a noteworthy enhancement in superoxide scavenging activity was observed, increasing from 21.42 ± 5.01% in the native form to 69.94 ± 5.84% in the nanoform at a concentration of 10 µg/mL of curcumin. Conversely, a slight reduction in free radical scavenging activity was noted, decreasing from 55.57 ± 5.16% in native curcumin to 47.43 ± 6.83% in the nanoform at the same concentration. Conclusion: The water-soluble curcumin synthesized in this study can be regarded as an advanced molecule with the potential to address diseases mediated by oxidative stress effectively.

Adaptable nanoparticles as multifunction semi-transparent conductive films and drug delivery system

Adaptable nanoparticles of reduced graphene oxide-curcumin as semi-transparent conductive films and graphene oxide-curcumin as drug delivery system (DDS) were evaluated. The reduced graphene oxide--curcumin nanoparticles showed outstanding organic semiconductor properties as semi-transparent conductive films (semi-TCFs). The optimum conditions for gaining maximum σdc/σop values of rGO-curcumin semi-TCFs were at pH = 11 in the absence of crosslinker, which may be a distinguished option in recent organic electronics. Moreover, the graphene-oxide-curcumin nanoparticles were used to increase water solubility of curcumin. Such nanoparticles could be used to deliver curcumin to delicate positions in human body. Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were synthesized from raw graphite, and characterized using attenuate total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), X-ray pattern (XRD), thermogravimetry (TGA) for chemical structure, crystal structure and thermal stability, respectively. The successful exfoliation process of nanoparticles was also monitored by scanning electron microscope (SEM) technique. Pre-adjusted pH method was used at different pH values (i.e. pH = 4.0–7.4). Power law (ln/ln) constant values like diffusional exponent (n) and proportionality constant (k) demonstrated in-vitro Fickian diffusion mechanism. Successful drug delivery system (DDS) revealed maximum curcumin bioavailability of 97 % compared to 22 % curcumin alone. Conclusively, GO and rGO connected with curcumin could achieve adaptable and potential applications in medical and engineering sectors.

PH-driven preparation of pea protein isolate-curcumin nanoparticles effectively enhances antitumor activity

Soluble pea protein isolate-curcumin nanoparticles were successfully prepared at a novel pH combination, with encapsulation efficiency and drug loading amount of 95.69 ± 1.63 % and 32.73 ± 0.56 μg/mg, respectively, resulting in >4000-fold increase in the water solubility of curcumin. The encapsulation propensity and interaction mechanism of pea protein isolates with curcumin and colchicine were comparatively evaluated by structural characterization, molecular dynamics simulations and molecular docking. The results showed that the nanoparticles formed by curcumin and colchicine with pea protein isolates were mainly driven by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, and the binding process did not alter the secondary structure of pea protein. In contrast, pea protein isolate-curcumin nanoparticles exhibited smaller particle size, lower RMSD value, lower binding Gibbs free energy and greater structural stability. Therefore, pea protein isolate is a suitable encapsulation material for hydrophobic compounds. Furthermore, the pea protein isolate-curcumin nanoparticles showed remarkably enhanced antitumor activity, as evidenced by a significant reduction in IC50, and the anti-tumor mechanism of it involved the ROS-induced mitochondria-mediated caspase cascade apoptosis pathway. These findings provide insights into the development of pea protein-based delivery systems and the possibility of a broader application of curcumin in antitumor activity.

Nanohybrid Based on (Mn, Zn) Ferrite Nanoparticles Functionalized With Chitosan and Sodium Alginate for Loading of Curcumin Against Human Breast Cancer Cells

This study reports on the synthesis of Mn1 − xZnxFe2O4 (Mn, Zn ferrite) magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as drug delivery carriers for effective therapeutic outcomes. The MNPs were prepared using the coprecipitation method, and their magnetic properties were investigated based on their composition. Among the compositions tested, Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 MNPs exhibited superparamagnetic properties with a saturation magnetization moment of 34.6 emu/g at room temperature (25°C). To enhance the water solubility of curcumin (Cur), known for its hydrophobic nature, it was successfully loaded onto alginate (Alg)/chitosan (Chit)@Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The nanocomposite was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) which revealed a particle size of approximately 20 nm. The crystalline structure of the NPs was analyzed using X-ray diffraction, while Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray, and map analysis techniques were employed for further characterization. In terms of drug release, there was an initial burst release of Cur (around 18%) within the first hour, followed by a slower release (approximately 61%) over the next 36 h. The anti-tumor properties of the Cur-loaded NPs were evaluated using the Methyl Thiazol Tetrazolium (MTT) assay and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The MTT assay confirmed a higher cytotoxic effect of Cur-loaded Alg/Chit@Mn0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 NPs on the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line compared to free Cur, highlighting the significance of incorporating Cur into nano-sized carrier systems.Graphical

Preparation and Primary Bioactivity Evaluation of Novel Water-Soluble Curcumin-Loaded Polymeric Micelles Fabricated with Chitooligosaccharides and Pluronic F-68.

Curcumin (CU) is a bioactive compound extracted from turmeric and has various advantages. However, the benefit of CU is limited by its low water solubility (11 ng/mL). This research aimed to fabricate a water-soluble CU nano-formulation with chitooligosaccharides (COS) and pluronic F-68 (PF) utilizing the polymeric micelle method. The optimized curcumin-loaded chitooligosaccharides/pluronic F-68 micelles (COSPFCU) exhibited high encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity (75.57 ± 2.35% and 10.32 ± 0.59%, respectively). The hydrodynamic diameter of lyophilized COSPFCU was 73.89 ± 11.69 nm with a polydispersity index below 0.3. The COSPFCU could be completely redispersed in water and showed high DPPH scavenging ability. Meanwhile, COSPFCU could significantly reduce the cytotoxicity of the RAW 264.7 cells compared to native CU. Furthermore, COSPFCU improved the inhibition of NO release activity at 72.83 ± 2.37% but 33.20 ± 3.41% for the CU, with a low cytotoxicity concentration in the RAW 264.7 cells.

Rapid on-demand in-situ gelling and dissociation of PEG bottlebrush hydrogel via light-mediated grafting-through polymerization for full-thickness skin wound repair

Developing light-triggered in situ forming dynamical hydrogels with on-demand dissolvable and antioxidation capacities to promote wound healing is highly desired yet challenging. Herein, we prepared an in situ forming bottlebrush hydrogel with on-demand dissolution capacity from two thioctic acid (TA)-functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)s (PEGs) telechelic (TA-PEGs) prepolymers via a light-mediated grafting-through polymerization strategy. In response to light irradiation, TA-PEGs could undergo rapid ring-opening polymerization to generate a highly branched bottlebrush network with dynamic disulfide bonds and simultaneously load water-soluble curcumin complexes with excellent antioxidant activity, enabling fast in situ gelation in 3 min to achieve perfect coverage of wound sites with different shapes. Furthermore, the resulting bottlebrush hydrogel dressing can achieve facile and painless removal of the dressing via rapid on-demand dissolution of the hydrogel during dressing changes. Meanwhile, thanks to its dynamical feature of the disulfide-based network, the hydrogel possesses excellent self-healing ability and shape adaptability that can maintain the interiority of the dressing during application and thus prolong its service life. In vitro evaluation demonstrates that this PEG bottlebrush hydrogel possesses favorable hemocompatibility, cytocompatibility, and antioxidant capacity. More importantly, in vivo experiments confirmed that the hydrogel promotes angiogenesis, dermal collagen synthesis, and alleviates the excessive ROS damage, thus providing more beneficial conditions to accelerate full-thickness skin wound healing.

Preparation of curcumin-chitosan composite film with high antioxidant and antibacterial capacity: Improving the solubility of curcumin by encapsulation of biopolymers

Curcumin is a kind of natural antioxidant antibacterial agent, but the poor water solubility and stability limit its application in the field of food packaging. To solve this problem, dialdehyde starch-curcumin-gelatin particles (hereafter denoted as DCG particles) were prepared by wrapping curcumin into the cross-linked body formed by dialdehyde starch and gelatin. The strong hydrophilicity of the outer cross-linked body increases the water solubility of curcumin by 3162.7% from 0.43 μg/mL to 13.6 μg/mL. DCG particles were added to chitosan to form a composite film to evaluate the application of the particles. The Chromogenic group and phenolic hydroxyl group in curcumin endowed the composite film with good ultraviolet resistance and antioxidant capacity, which could shield 94.48% of ultraviolet radiation, and the free radical clearance rate reached 99%. Besides, chitosan and curcumin can destroy bacterial cell film and inhibit bacterial division and proliferation. The inhibition zone of composite film against E. coli and S. aureus was 21.4 mm and 19.9 mm, and the cell survival rate treated with film solution was 113.16%. The weight loss rate and decay rate of fruit soaked in film solution were 60% and 10% compared with untreated fruits, respectively. Overall, this study advanced a novel method for improving the water solubility of curcumin and making natural food packaging materials.

Lysozyme/tripolyphosphate complex coacervates: Properties, curcumin encapsulation and antibacterial activity

Complex coacervates based on the combination of two oppositely charged biopolymers have been proposed as encapsulating and protective platforms for bioactive agents in food science. Lysozyme, an enzymatic protein used as a natural food preservative, was combined with other macromolecules (proteins and polysaccharides) to generate coacervate formulations. In this study, the design of coacervate-like structures based on lysozyme was extended through their combination with multivalent tripolyphosphate anion, a non-macromolecular food additive. It was observed that direct mixing led to the formation of complex coacervates under certain ranges of pH, ionic strength, and component concentrations. Coacervates presented a suitable capacity to encapsulate poorly water-soluble curcumin. More interestingly, coacervates improved the chemical stability (under long-term storage and light irradiation) and antibacterial activity of curcumin. Therefore, these single macromolecule coacervates could be exploited as an active carrier platform for encapsulation in food applications.