Synthesis and antibacterial properties of magnesium-based curcumin self-assembled material

As a natural polyphenolic compound with excellent antioxidant and antibacterial properties, Curcumin (Cur), is an effective antimicrobial agent. However, the application of Cur remains challenging due to its poor water solubility and instability under light and heat conditions. In this study, Cur and magnesium salt was utilized to synthesize the magnesium-based Cur self-assembled material (Mg-Cur) via a solvothermal method. This material not only exhibits good solubility in the solvents of water or methanol, but also shows significant antibacterial effects against foodborne pathogens Salmonella typhi (S. typhi). With the Mg-Cur dose of 4 mg mL^-1, the results of the plate count method experiment indicated that the antibacterial rate against S. typhi reached 81.8 ± 3.2%, whereas it had almost no effect on Escherichia coli (E. coli). And the results obtained from scanning electron microscopy also validate above conclusion. The reason for the antibacterial of Mg-Cur may be attributed to the disruption of bacterial cell membranes by the hydroxyl and methoxy groups of Cur release from Mg-Cur solved in water. This study offers expanded choices for Cur-based materials in terms of food-borne antimicrobial activity.