DESIGN OF JACKFRUIT GUM-BASED GENIPIN CROSSLINKED NANOPARTICLES FOR SUSTAINED RELEASE OF CURCUMIN: OPTIMIZATION AND IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION

The present work aims to design jackfruit gum-based curcumin-loaded nanoparticles (CUR-NPs) for improved drug entrapment and modified release of CUR using ionotropic gelation. Briefly, the optimization of CUR-NPs was confirmed using a 32 response surface methodology. The diffractogram and thermogram of CUR-NPs confirmed reduction of crystallinity of CUR (optimized batch: F5) due to jackfruit gum and genipin cross-linked polymeric network. The particle size and zeta potential analysis confirmed formation of nanosized and stable CUR-NPs, respectively. Also, the nanoparticles demonstrated 83.99 +/- 1.23% entrapment efficiency, whereas they showed 98.36 +/- 0.96% of CUR release within 12 h at pH 7.4. The CUR-NPs exhibited good mucoadhesive properties due to the presence of jackfruit gum. Finally, the MTT assay showed a decrease in colorectal cancer cell viability due to tailored CUR release from CUR-NPs. In conclusion, jackfruit gum-genipin-based CUR-NPs offered high entrapment efficiency, tailored releases of CUR, good mucoadhesive property and improved anticancer activity.