Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E5 with molecular energy-enhancement ability contributes to improving wettability, drug...

Curcumin (Cur) solid dispersions are a promising strategy to enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of Cur. However, challenges remain in creating effective food and nutritional products containing Cur. This study focuses on the biological macromolecule hydroxypropyl methylcellulose E5 (HPMC E5) to elucidate its advantages in solid dispersions formulated with Eudragit E100 (E100). The aim is to improve wettability, drug delivery and taste masking effect, while also revealing the primary mechanisms underlying these advantages. Raman imaging was used to identify the tautomeric form of Cur in the dispersions, and molecular docking was applied to study the interactions between tautomeric Cur and the excipient. The superior wettability of Cur solid dispersions was studied mainly through contact angle measurements. Results demonstrated that appropriate amounts of HPMC E5 enhanced the surface tension of E100 and significantly improved the total molecular energy of Cur when mixed with E/H, resulting in increased wettability, in vitro drug release, in vivo bioavailability, in vivo anti-inflammatory effects, and effective taste masking. Cur-6E/H with carrier-controlled wetting mechanism presented optimal performances. In summary, the addition of HPMC E5 significantly enhanced the molecular energy and overall efficacy of Cur solid dispersions.