Posted by Researchers from Canada 🇨🇦 developed αCD-based nanoparticles to improve the stability and intestinal uptake of curcumin, a bioactive compound limited by poor solubility and susceptibility to light-induced degradation. The optimized formulation achieved >97% curcumin encapsulation, approximately doubled its stability following light exposure, and increased uptake by intestinal cells fivefold compared with free curcumin. The nanoparticles also preserved greater antioxidant activity without reducing cell viability, highlighting the potential of CD-encapsulation to improve both the stability and bioavailability of sensitive bioactive compounds.
α-Cyclodextrin can protect curcumin from photodegradation under pulsed light (PL) exposure, which uses short-duration flashes of broad-spectrum (UV to IR) light to create reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photochemical effects on exposed compounds.
Kitts, D. D., Guo, Y., Sabier, M., Lizares, A., Pratap-Singh, A., & Singh, A. (2026). Use of α-Cyclodextrin to Produce Nanoencapsulated Curcumin to Preserve Curcumin Stability from Photooxidation While Simultaneously Enhancing Caco-2 Intestinal Uptake and Antioxidant Capacity. Antioxidants, 15(7), 901. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15070901
CAVACURMIN® is the product of Wacker Chemie,
a highly bioavailable curcumin/gamma-cyclodextin complex that is around 40 times more efficiently absorbed than standard turmeric extract. It can be found both in solid and liquid form in various food supplements of various producers.