Structural Characterization and Functional Properties of Turmeric Pomace Polysaccharides‐Curcumin Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT To address the limitations of curcumin (CUR), including poor water solubility, low stability, and low bioavailability, the nanoparticles (TPP‐CUR) loaded with CUR were constructed using turmeric pomace polysaccharides (TPP) as carriers. The results showed that the encapsulation efficiency of CUR in the TPP‐CUR was 40.03%, and the average particle sizes of TPP and TPP‐CUR were 141.03 and 174.93 nm, respectively. Their zeta potential were −14.03 mV and −17.1 mV, respectively. CUR and TPP efficiently combined to form TPP‐CUR by hydrogen bonding, which reduced their crystallinity. TPP‐CUR exhibited good stability under different conditions of pH = 4–9, temperature 30°C–60°C, and NaCl concentration 50–250 mM. The antioxidant capacity of both TPP and TPP‐CUR exhibited a dose‐dependent increase. At 0.2–1.0 mg/mL, the DPPH free radical scavenging rates increased from 10.99% to 24.91% for TPP and from 19.36% to 50.02% for TPP‐CUR, the ABTS free radical scavenging rates increased from 6.93% to 22.93% for TPP and from 11.32% to 34.21% for TPP‐CUR, and the Fe 3+ reducing power increased from 0.02 to 0.10 for TPP and from 0.03 to 0.15 for TPP‐CUR. TPP‐CUR exhibited antioxidant effects at different concentrations, with significant activity observed in HepaRG cells at 2.5 μg/mL. The CUR in the TPP‐CUR was slowly released from 14.30% in the stomach digestion stage to 42.96% in the intestinal digestion stage, which realized the slow release of CUR in the intestine. This study provides a theoretical basis for the high‐value utilization of CUR and TPP.