Core-Shell Biopolymer Nanoparticles for Co-Delivery of Curcumin and Piperine: Sequential Electrostatic Deposition of Hyaluronic Acid and Chitosan Shells on the Zein Core

Co-encapsulation of quercetin and resveratrol in zein/carboxymethyl cellulose nanoparticles: characterization, stability and in vitro digestion

Formation and investigation of zein/carboxymethyl cellulose composite nanoparticles to co-deliver quercetin and resveratrol.

Curcumin, a potent therapeutic nutraceutical and its enhanced delivery and bioaccessibility by pickering emulsions

Curcumin is a biomolecule with functional moieties, which contribute to its anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. It has shown several therapeutic effects on treating inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases and contributes to the reduction of oxidative stress and damage to body tissues. However, its low solubility and fast metabolism limit its absorption in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and lead to its low bioavailability. Preparation of Pickering emulsions stabilized with mineral or biopolymer-based nanoparticles can be an effective strategy for enhancing the stability of curcumin against degradation, increasing its bioaccessibility in the GI tract, and achieving its controlled release at various locations based on changes in environmental conditions. Various nanoparticles prepared from minerals, proteins, and polysaccharides show potential for stabilizing the curcumin-loaded emulsions, and their wettability can be altered through complexation and formation of hybrid nanoparticles. Stabilization of Pickering emulsions with polysaccharide-based nanoparticles and their complexes can enhance the stability of the curcumin against degradation. Moreover, various protein-based nanoparticles and their conjugated forms with other proteins or polysaccharides can enable the preparation of high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPEs) with concomitant higher loading and bioaccessibility of the curcumin molecule. In light of the several therapeutic properties of curcumin, this review article aims to highlight recent studies and the strategies used for the preparation of curcumin Pickering emulsions stabilized by various nanoparticles for enhancing its bioaccessibility during metabolism. These may be useful in pharmaceutical and food industries for drug development and delivery and fortification of food products with this nutraceutical component.

Mechanism of enhancing the water-solubility and stability of curcumin by using self-assembled cod protein nanoparticles at an alkaline pH

Curcumin (Cur) is a bioactive phytochemical which is claimed to have several health-promoting benefits, whose applications are challenging due to its poor water-solubility, chemical instability, and low bioavailability. In this research, Cur was encapsulated in the cod protein (CP) using a pH-driven method to enhance its solubility and stability. The physicochemical and structural properties of cod protein-curcumin nanoparticles (CP-Cur) formed were characterized. Fluorescence spectroscopy (FL), ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV), circular dichroism (CD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) results collectively suggest that the protein originally with a molten-globule state refolded into a more ordered structure after neutralization, during which Cur was incorporated. Fluorescence quenching and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) further showed that the CP/Cur binding was mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions, resulting in static fluorescence quenching and energy release. Up to 99.50% of Cur was loaded in the CP delivery system. Furthermore, the thermal stability and photostability of Cur were greatly improved due to the protection of the protein. The present study proved that cod protein could be a great potential edible carrier for encapsulating curcumin.

Encapsulation of luteolin using oxidized lotus root starch nanoparticles prepared by anti-solvent precipitation

In this study, luteolin-oxidized lotus root starch (OLRS) nanoparticles (NPs) were developed to improve the stability and antioxidant activity of luteolin. Results showed that a stable luteolin-OLRS NPs was formed using luteolin and OLRS (oxidation degree, 15%) in the weight ratio of 3:1, as well as anti-solvent and solvent in the volume ratio of 10:1. Under this condition, the particle size, polydispersity index and zeta-potential of luteolin-OLRS NPs was 305 nm, 0.173 and -20.8 mV, respectively. The analysis of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the luteolin was successfully encapsulated in OLRS NPs, giving an encapsulation efficiency of 87.2%. The release characteristic and antioxidant activity of encapsulated luteolin were further investigated. Results exhibited that the OLRS NPs enabled luteolin to be stable in simulated gastric fluid and sustained release in simulated intestinal fluid, leading to the enhancement of antioxidant activity of luteolin.

A self-assembled amphiphilic polysaccharide-based co-delivery system for egg white derived peptides and curcumin with oral bioavailability enhancement

Egg white derived peptides (EWDP) and curcumin are well known for diverse biological activities, but the combinational usage of the two natural nutraceuticals is extremely limited by their low oral bioavailability and distinctly different polarities. Therefore, this study aimed to exploit a facile self-assembled amphiphilic system for oral co-delivery of hydrophilic egg white derived peptides (EWDP) and hydrophobic curcumin. The hydrophobic curcumin was first loaded into the hydrophobic cavity of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as a core. Then, the hydrophilic EWDP was absorbed into the region between the core and the N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethyl ammonium) propyl] chitosan (HTCC) shell to form the amphiphilic nanoparticles (NPs) via layer-by-layer self-assembly. The resulting NPs showed ideal oral applicability with excellent colloidal properties and encapsulation capacity for EWDP and curcumin at pH 2.0-7.0. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results indicated that hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction were the main driving force for the formation of amphiphilic NPs. Upon combination with HTCC, EWDP (both shell material and core nutraceuticals) could facilitate curcumin loading into the deeper β-CD cavity site with admirable solubility improvement. Moreover, EWDP and curcumin after co-delivery exhibited superior bioavailability (especially for bioactivity and cellular absorption) than the simple mixture and conventional curcumin inclusion complex. Overall, these findings are enlightening for the rational peptide based oral co-delivery system formulations for a broader range of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nutraceuticals (initially synergistic or not) in the food and related health-promoting fields.

Endocytosis of abiotic nanomaterials and nanobiovectors: Inhibition of membrane trafficking

Humans are exposed to nanoscopical nanobiovectors (e.g. coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) as well as abiotic metal/carbon-based nanomaterials that enter cells serendipitously or intentionally. Understanding the interactions of cell membranes with these abiotic and biotic nanostructures will facilitate scientists to design better functional nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Such knowledge will also provide important clues for the control of viral infections and the treatment of virus-induced infectious diseases. In the present review, the mechanisms of endocytosis are reviewed in the context of how nanomaterials are uptaken into cells. This is followed by a detailed discussion of the attributes of man-made nanomaterials (e.g. size, shape, surface functional groups and elasticity) that affect endocytosis, as well as the different human cell types that participate in the endocytosis of nanomaterials. Readers are then introduced to the concept of viruses as nature-derived nanoparticles. The mechanisms in which different classes of viruses interact with various cell types to gain entry into the human body are reviewed with examples published over the last five years. These basic tenets will enable the avid reader to design advanced drug delivery and gene transfer nanoplatforms that harness the knowledge acquired from endocytosis to improve their biomedical efficacy. The review winds up with a discussion on the hurdles to be addressed in mimicking the natural mechanisms of endocytosis in nanomaterials design.

Oral Core-Shell Nanoparticles Embedded in Hydrogel Microspheres for the Efficient Site-Specific Delivery of Magnolol and Enhanced Antiulcerative Colitis Therapy

Although magnolol (Mag), an anti-inflammatory natural compound, has been demonstrated to play protective effects on ulcerative colitis (UC), its application as an alternative therapeutic reagent for UC treatment is still greatly impeded due to its poor stability in the gastrointestinal tract and insufficient accumulation in the inflamed colon lesion. Nano-/microsized drug delivery systems can potentially overcome some challenges regarding the oral administration of phytochemicals, which still confront premature early drug release, degradation of NPs, or the sustained drug release of MPs. In this study, we primarily loaded Mag into the core-shell zein-based nanoparticles with chondroitin sulfate coating (Mag@CS-Zein NPs) with an average size of 142.27 ± 5.11 nm, showing significant macrophage-targeting and enhanced colon epithelial cellular uptake capacity. Then, we embedded Mag@CS-Zein NPs into hydrogel microspheres via an electrospraying technology. The Mag@CS-Zein NPsinMPs presented a uniform-sized sphere with an average size of 164.36 ± 6.29 μm and sustained drug-release profiles. Compared to CS-Zein NPs, the developed CS-Zein NPsinMPs exhibited prolonged colon retention on the inflammatory surface, as seen from ex vivo and in vivo imaging fluorescence adhesion experiments. Based on the advantage of the combination of hybrid nanoparticles-in-microparticles, oral administration of Mag@CS-Zein NPsinMPs significantly alleviated colitis symptoms in DSS-treated mice by regulating the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) and factor accelerated colonic mucosal barrier repair via upregulating the expression of ZO-1 and occludin. This study provides great insights into the oral drug delivery of natural compounds for UC therapy.

Elucidating the pH influence on pulsed electric fields-induced self-assembly of chitosan-zein-poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyethylene glycol nanostructured composites

HYPOTHESIS

The high incompatibility of bio-based materials such as protein and polysaccharides require a series of modifications to develop stable microstructures effectively. By modifying the density and charge of surface residues, pulsed electric fields processing can improve inter/intramolecular interactions, compatibility, and microstructure of bio-based nanostructured composites.

EXPERIMENT

In this work, the impact of pulsed electric fields at a specific energy of 60-700 kJ/kg (electric field strength = 1.6 kV/cm) on self-assembly of zein-chitosan-poly(vinyl alcohol)-polyethylene glycol composite dispersion was investigated at pH 4.0, 5.7, and 6.8.

FINDINGS

Superior complex coacervated matrices were assembled at pH 4.0 and 5.7 before and after pulsed electric fields treatment at a specific energy of 390-410 kJ/kg. The compact and homogenous behaviour was attributable to pulsed electric fields-induced alteration of functional group interactions in a pH-dependent manner. Irrespective of the pH, very high electric field intensity caused excessive system perturbation leading to severe fragmentation and poor development of coacervates. The crucial insights from this study reveal that the self-assembly behaviour and integration of biopolymer-based systems possessing different local charges can be enhanced by optimising pulsed electric fields processing parameters and the properties of the colloidal systems such as the pH.

Nanonutraceuticals: The New Frontier of Supplementary Food

In the last few decades, the combination between nanotechnology and nutraceutics has gained the attention of several research groups. Nutraceuticals are considered as active compounds, abundant in natural products, showing beneficial effects on human health. Unfortunately, the uses, and consequently the health benefits, of many nutraceutical products are limited by their unsuitable chemico-physical features. For example, many nutraceuticals are characterized by low water solubility, low stability and high susceptibility to light and oxygen, poor absorption and potential chemical modifications after their administration. Based on the potential efficacy of nutraceuticals and on their limiting features, nanotechnology could be considered a revolutionary innovation in empowering the beneficial properties of nutraceuticals on human health, thus enhancing their efficacy in several diseases. For this reason, nanotechnology could represent a new frontier in supplementary food. In this review, the most recent nanotechnological approaches are discussed, focusing on their ability to improve the bioavailability of the most common nutraceuticals, providing an overview regarding both the advantages and the possible limitations of the use of several nanodelivery systems. In fact, although the efficacy of smart nanocarriers in improving health benefits deriving from nutraceuticals has been widely demonstrated, the conflicting opinions on the mechanism of action of some nanosystems still reduce their applicability in the therapeutic field.

Computational and experimental approaches for chitosan-based nano PECs design: Insights on a deeper comprehension of nanostructure formation

Nanostructured polyelectrolyte complexes (nano PECs) based on biopolymers are an important technological strategy to target drugs to the action and/or absorption site in a more effective way. In this work, computational studies were performed to predict the ionization, spatial arrangement and interaction energies of chitosan (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), and hypromellose phthalate (HP), for the design of nano PEC carriers for methotrexate (MTX). The optimal pH range (5.0-5.5) for preparing nano PECs was selected by experimental and computational methodologies, favoring the polymers interactions. CS, HA, HP and MTX addition order was also rationalized, maximizing their interactions and MTX entrapment. Spherical nano-sized particles (256-575 nm, by dynamic light scattering measurement) with positive surface charge (+25.5 to +29.2 mV) were successfully prepared. The MTX association efficiency ranged from 20 to 32 %. XRD analyses evidenced the formation of a new material with an organized structure, in relation to raw polymers.

Prolamin-based complexes: Structure design and food-related applications

Prolamins are a group of safe food additives that are biocompatible, biodegradable, and sustainable. Zein, gliadin, kafirin, and hordein are common prolamins that have been extensively studied, particularly as these form colloidal particles because of their amphiphilic properties. Prolamin-based binary/ternary complexes, which have stable physicochemical properties and superior functionality, are formed by combining prolamins with polysaccharides, polyphenols, water-soluble proteins, and surfactants. Although the combination of prolamins with other components has received attention, the relationship between the structural design of prolamin-based complexes and their functionalities remains uncertain. This review discusses the production methods of prolamin-based complexes, the factors influencing their structural characteristics, and their applications in the food industry. Further studies are needed to elucidate the structure-function relationships between prolamins and other biopolymers, as well as the toxicological effects of these complexes in food.

Novel γ-cyclodextrin-metal-organic frameworks for encapsulation of curcumin with improved loading capacity, physicochemical stability and controlled release properties

A safe and biodegradable γ-cyclodextrin-metal-organic-frameworks (γ-CD-MOFs) was successfully synthesized by using an improved hydrothermal method. In this study, curcumin (Cur) was chosen for testing the encapsulation stability and release performance of γ-CD-MOFs. Results of the crystal structure measurement indicated that the encapsulated curcumin within γ-CD-MOFs via van der Waals forces, hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonding was failed to disturb the inherent microtopography and crystallinity of γ-CD-MOFs. Compared to individual γ-CD, the γ-CD-MOFs exhibited improved loading capacity, physicochemical stability as well as controlled-release property in simulated digestion, and hence can be regarded as effective carriers for curcumin. Curcumin-loaded γ-CD-MOFs with a Cur : γ-CD-MOFs mass ratio of 2:3 (Cur-CD-MOFs/3), which showed the highest encapsulation efficiency (67.31 ± 2.25%), improved physicochemical stability and controlled-release performance, was selected for further research and industrialization. Our results demonstrate that γ-CD-MOFs can be regarded as a promising novel carrier for the delivery of curcumin or other hydrophobic nutraceuticals.

Fabrication, structural characterization and functional attributes of polysaccharide-surfactant-protein ternary complexes for delivery of curcumin

In this study, the nanocomplexes as a novel delivery system for curcumin, were successfully fabricated using high methoxyl pectin (HMP), individual surfactants (rhamnolipid (Rha), tea saponin (TS) and ethyl lauroyl arginate hydrochloride (ELA)) and pea protein isolate (PPI). The optimum mass ratio between PPI and curcumin was 40:1. The HMP-Rha-PPI-Cur, HMP-TS-PPI-Cur and HMP-ELA-PPI-Cur complexes which had particle sizes of 453, 422 and 587 nm, exhibited encapsulation efficiencies of curcumin with 93.46, 92.05 and 86.73%, respectively. The analysis of FTIR revealed that HMP-surfactant-PPI-Cur complexes were formed mainly by hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction. XRD result showed that curcumin exhibited a non-crystallized state in the ternary complexes. Moreover, the curcumin within the HMP-Rha-PPI ternary complexes showed better stability under UV-light, thermal and simulated gastrointestinal conditions.

Nano-enabled personalized nutrition: Developing multicomponent-bioactive colloidal delivery systems

There is growing interest in the production of foods and beverages with nutrient and nutraceutical profiles tailored to an individual's specific nutritional requirements. In principle, these personalized nutrition products are formulated based on the genetics, epigenetics, metabolism, microbiome, phenotype, lifestyle, age, gender, and health status of a person. A challenge in this area is to create customized functional food and beverage products that contain the required combination of bioactive agents, such as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals, prebiotics and probiotics. Nanotechnology may facilitate the development of these kind of products since it can be used to encapsulate one or more bioactive agent in a single colloidal delivery system. This delivery system may contain one or more different kinds of colloidal particle, specifically designed to protect each nutrient in the food, but then deliver it in a bioavailable form after ingestion. This review article provides an overview of the different kinds of bioactives that need to be delivered, as well as some of the challenges associated with incorporating them into functional foods and beverages. It then highlights how nanotech-enabled colloidal delivery systems can be developed to encapsulate multiple bioactive agents in a form suitable for functional food applications, particularly in the personalized nutrition field.

Core–shell particles for drug-delivery, bioimaging, sensing, and tissue engineering

Core–shell particles offer significant advantages in their use for bioimaging and biosensors.