Electrospun nanofibers of curcumin/HP-beta-CD/pullulan complex with enhanced solubility and controlled release in food and drug delivery applications

Curcumin, a hydrophobic drug derived from the rhizome of Curcuma longa , exhibits significant bioactive properties, including antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. However, its poor water solubility and rapid degradation limit its practical applications. This study presents a novel design of electrospun nanofibers using curcumin/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (HP-β-CD-IC) combined with pullulan to enhance thermal stability and controlled release. In uniaxial nanofibers, curcumin/HP-β-CD-IC is uniformly distributed, whereas in coaxial nanofibers, curcumin/HP-β-CD-IC serves as the core material, with pullulan as the wall material. X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed successful inclusion complex formation, with coaxial fibers showing no crystalline peaks of curcumin. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated enhanced thermal stability, with melting points shifting to 279.19 °C and 291.63 °C for uniaxial and coaxial fibers, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy verified the core-shell structure and uniform morphology. In vitro release studies revealed that coaxial fibers achieved higher cumulative release (93 ± 1.41 %) compared to uniaxial fibers (80 ± 2.82 %) over 350 min. Antibacterial tests demonstrated improved activity of coaxial fibers against S. aureus and E. coli . Addressing the critical need for stable and bioavailable delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds, this innovative coaxial nanofiber design holds great promise for revolutionizing applications in food technology and drug delivery. • Curcumin's stability and release improved using electrospun nanofibers with HP-β-CD-IC. • Coaxial nanofibers offer superior thermal stability and controlled release of curcumin. • Coaxial fibers showed 93 % cumulative release vs. 80 % in uniaxial fibers over 350 min. • Antibacterial activity of coaxial fibers enhanced against S. aureus and E. coli . • Innovative nanofiber design advances applications in food technology and drug delivery.