Preparation of curcumin-loaded chitosan/lecithin nanoparticles with increased anti-oxidant activity and in vivo bioavailability.

As a natural polyphenol, curcumin (Cur) has exhibited a range of bioactive properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-infection properties. However, the chemical instability and low water solubility of Cur hinder its wide application. Herein, Cur-loaded chitosan/lecithin nanoparticles (CCL NPs) were prepared by the electrostatic self-assembly method. The prepared CCL NPs showed a small particle size (122.86 ± 1.53 nm) with homogeneous distribution (PDI = 0.17 ± 0.01). The high EE (79.34 ± 2.93 %) and LC (9.33 ± 0.34 %) indicated that most of Cur was encapsulated in CCL NPs. Meanwhile, the Cur was released from CCL NPs in a quick and sustained way after being exposed to simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The CCL NPs displayed superior anti-oxidant activity than that of free Cur. Moreover, the in vivo pharmacokinetic studies showed that the CCL NPs could lead to a ~ 2.64-fold increase in oral bioavailability compared with that of free Cur. All these findings indicated that the formation of CCL NPs would be a promising platform to deliver Cur in the food industry.