Formulation and Characteristics of Edible Oil Nanoemulsions Modified with Polymeric Surfactant for Encapsulating Curcumin

Abstract

Curcumin (Cur) is a beneficial phytochemical with numerous health advantages. However, its limited solubility in oil and poor stability hinder its potential for biomedical applications. In this study, we employed a mixture of food-grade Tween 60, a polymeric surfactant, and Span 60 to adjust the hydrophilic lipophilic balance number (HLBt) and prepared nanoemulsions (NEs) of coconut oil (Cc oil) as carriers for Cur. The effects of HLBt values, surfactant-to-oil ratio, and oil ratio on the physicochemical characteristics of the food-grade oil-NEs were investigated using dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence polarization spectroscopy, and viscometry. Increasing the addition ratio of Tween 60 in the NEs, thereby increasing the HLBt, resulted in a reduction in NE size and an improvement in their storage stability. The temperature and size of the phase transition region of the NEs decreased with increasing HLBt. NEs with higher HLBt exhibited a disordering effect on the intra-NE molecular packing of Cc oil. NEs with high HLBt displayed low viscosity and demonstrated nearly Newtonian fluid behavior, while those with lower HLBt exhibited pseudoplastic fluid behavior. Cur was effectively encapsulated into the Cc oil-NEs, with higher encapsulation efficiency observed in NEs with higher HLBt values. Furthermore, the Cur remaining activity was significantly enhanced through encapsulation within stable NEs. The biocompatibility of the Cc oil-NEs was also demonstrated in vitro. In summary, this study highlights the preparation of stable NEs of Cc oil by adjusting the HLBt using Tween 60, facilitating effective encapsulation of Cur. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of Cur carriers with improved solubility, stability, and bioavailability.

Actividad antifúngica In vitro de nanoemulsión preparada a base de aceite de neem (Azadirachta indica)

“…En general los surfactantes no iónicos contienen grupos hidrofílicos y lipofílicos cuyo balance es expresado en valores de HLB (Balance hidrofílico lipofílico). Los valores de HLB están relacionados con su solubilidad en agua, de esta manera, valores bajos (4 a 9) indican emulsificantes lipófilos y valores altos (11 a 18) emulsificantes hidrófilos (Chiang et al 2023). En general, para formar emulsiones del tipo aceite en agua se emplean emulsificantes con valores de HLB altos, mientras que para emulsiones agua en aceite valores bajos (Chiang et al 2023).…”

“…Los valores de HLB están relacionados con su solubilidad en agua, de esta manera, valores bajos (4 a 9) indican emulsificantes lipófilos y valores altos (11 a 18) emulsificantes hidrófilos (Chiang et al 2023). En general, para formar emulsiones del tipo aceite en agua se emplean emulsificantes con valores de HLB altos, mientras que para emulsiones agua en aceite valores bajos (Chiang et al 2023). En el presente estudio, el aumento en los valores de HLB de la mezcla de emulsificantes empleadas favoreció la formación de tamaños de glóbulo más pequeños (Figura 1b y 1c).…”