In this study, we fabricated a series of novel sodium alginate/ZnO hydrogel beads to optimize the release profile of curcumin (Cur) and to avoid the burst release associated with pure hydrogels, which were used to mitigate the weaknesses of Cur, such as rapid physiological clearance and sensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) light and alkaline solutions. The results show that the composite hydrogel beads exhibit good pH sensitivity and controlled-release capacity, which could prolong the residence time of Cur in the gastrointestinal tract. After exposure to UV irradiation for 6 h, the 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity of Cur-loaded hydrogel beads was decreased by only 13.70%, whereas that of pure Cur decreased by 62.04% under the same conditions; therefore, the encapsulated Cur showed a higher antioxidant activity. The composite hydrogel beads protected the Cur from light degradation and can therefore prolong the antioxidant activity of Cur. These results are beneficial for the design of delivery systems to entrap and control the release of unstable drugs.

中文翻译：

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姜黄素负载海藻酸钠/ZnO 水凝胶珠的表征、释放和抗氧化活性


在这项研究中，我们制造了一系列新型海藻酸钠/氧化锌水凝胶珠，以优化姜黄素 (Cur) 的释放曲线，并避免与纯水凝胶相关的突发释放，这用于缓解 Cur 的缺点，例如快速释放。生理清除率以及对紫外线 (UV) 光和碱性溶液的敏感性。结果表明，复合水凝胶珠表现出良好的pH敏感性和控释能力，可以延长Cur在胃肠道的停留时间。紫外线照射6小时后，负载Cur的水凝胶珠的1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼（DPPH）清除能力仅下降13.70%，而相同条件下纯Cur的清除能力下降62.04% ;因此，封装的Cur表现出更高的抗氧化活性。复合水凝胶珠可以保护 Cur 免受光降解，因此可以延长 Cur 的抗氧化活性。这些结果有利于设计捕获和控制不稳定药物释放的递送系统。