Lactoferrin-Based Ternary Composite Nanoparticles with Enhanced Dispersibility and Stability for Curcumin Delivery

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Materials Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Curcumin possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties valuable for nutraceuticals.
• Poor water solubility, stability, and bioavailability limit curcumin's application.
• Food-grade colloidal particles offer a solution for encapsulating and delivering curcumin.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate composite nanoparticles using lactoferrin (LF), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and hyaluronic acid (HA).
• To encapsulate curcumin within these LF-EGCG-HA nanoparticles.
• To evaluate the impact of encapsulation on curcumin's stability, bioavailability, and anticancer activity.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of LF-EGCG-HA composite nanoparticles via a pH-shift method.
• Encapsulation of curcumin into the nanoparticles.
• Assessment of encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, stability (thermal, light, storage), redispersibility, in vitro digestion, cellular uptake, and anticancer effects.

Main Results:

• Successfully fabricated LF-EGCG-HA nanoparticles (145 nm) with high curcumin encapsulation efficiency (86%) and loading capacity (5.8%).
• Encapsulation significantly improved curcumin's thermal, light, and storage stability, and redispersibility after dehydration.
• Curcumin-loaded nanoparticles demonstrated enhanced bioaccessibility, cellular uptake, and potent apoptosis induction in colorectal cancer cells compared to free curcumin.

Conclusions:

• Food-grade biopolymer nanoparticles (LF-EGCG-HA) effectively overcome curcumin's limitations.
• Encapsulation enhances curcumin's stability, bioavailability, and bioactivity.
• This approach holds promise for improving the efficacy of nutraceuticals.