Study on the Preparation, Characterization, and Stability of Freeze-Dried Curcumin-Loaded Cochleates

Curcumin (CUR), a polyphenolic substance extracted from plants, has extensive pharmacological activities. However, CUR is difficult to be absorbed in the body due to its poor stability and low solubility. Studies have found that cochleates can be used as a new delivery system to encapsulate bioactive agents for the purpose of improving its stability and bioavailability. In this study, thin-film dispersion and trapping methods were used to prepare curcumin-loaded cochleates (CUR-Cochs). Then CUR-Cochs were characterized and the encapsulation efficiency was determined by HPLC. In addition, the freeze-drying process of CUR-Cochs was studied and related characterization was performed. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the cytotoxicity of cochleates carrier. Additionally, H₂O₂-induced cellular oxidative damage model were used to evaluate its antioxidant capacity. The results showed that the structure of CUR-Cochs was a spiral cylinder with an average particle size of 463.8 nm and zeta potential of -15.47 mV. The encapsulation efficiency was the highest (83.66 ± 0.8)% with 1:50 CUR-to-lipid mass ratio. In vitro results showed that cochleates had negligible cytotoxicity and owned antioxidant capacity, which provided the possibility for their applications in food and medicine. In general, the method herein might be a promising method to encapsulate CUR for further use as a bioactive agent in functional foods.