FORMULATION OF CALCIUM-CROSSLINKED ZEIN-GELLAN GUM NANOPARTICLES FOR NARINGENIN DELIVERY: STABILITY, DIGESTION SIMULATION, AND ANTIOXIDANT EVALUATION

Naringenin (NR), a bioactive flavonoid with antioxidant and therapeutic potential, has limited pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications owing to its poor water solubility and stability. To overcome these challenges, this study presents a novel core-shell nanocarrier system comprising zein (Zn) nanoparticles coated with calcium-crosslinked gellan gum (GG) for enhanced NR stability and sustained release. Zn-NR-GG nanoparticles were formulated via anti-solvent precipitation and calcium-mediated gelation, resulting in a uniform gel network with an average size of 234 nm. The GG shell provides structural integrity, preventing nanoparticle aggregation and enzymatic degradation under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. The nanoparticles exhibited high encapsulation efficiency (>91%), enhanced antioxidant activity, and a controlled NR release profile of 56.66 ± 0.11% over 4 h. The stability assessments demonstrated resistance to thermal, ionic, and pH variations, underscoring their robustness for bioactive delivery. The integration of protein-polysaccharide interactions with calcium-induced gelation offers an effective strategy for improving NR solubility, bioavailability, and therapeutic efficacy. This study highlights Zn-NR-GG nanoparticles as promising polymeric biomaterials for controlled nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications.