Enhancing the bioaccessibility and therapeutic potential of curcumin through biomaterial-based delivery systems using...

This study investigated the encapsulation of commercial curcumin in potato starch-based capsules and fibers, produced by electrospraying and electrospinning, respectively, with the aim of increasing its bioaccessibility and biological activities. Commercial curcumin was characterized by HPLC-DAD-MS/MS, revealing a curcuminoid composition (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and bisdemethoxycurcumin). In vitro digestion simulation demonstrated that the encapsulation of commercial curcumin allowed a more controlled release of the curcuminoids. The encapsulated curcumin maintained significant antioxidant activity. Capsules and fibers demonstrated promising antihyperglycemic activity, with maximum inhibition values of 59 % for α-amylase (1 % curcumin fibers) and 65 % for α-glucosidase (0.75 % curcumin capsules). In vitro cell viability and proliferation evaluations in C6 glioma cells revealed that the encapsulated curcumin presented antitumor activity, with variation depending on the concentration and type of material. Moreover, curcumin encapsulated in fibers attenuated the cytotoxic effects of unencapsulated curcumin on healthy L929 fibroblasts, even after 48 h of exposure. Additionally, the impact of fibers containing 1 % curcumin on redox homeostasis was evaluated in C6 glioma cells, significantly reducing the levels of reactive oxygen species and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase. These results suggest that potato starch-based capsules and particularly fibers offer a promising delivery system for curcumin.