| Summary: | Matrine (MAR), a quinolone alkaloid, was employed to augment the stability of zein nanoparticles. The incorporation of MAR into the hydrophobic shell of zein nanoparticles was primarily achieved through hydrogen bonding. Curcumin (CUR), a hydrophobic active substance, was encapsulated in the hydrophobic core of zein/matrine nanoparticles (ZMNPs). The preparation of ZMNPs and curcumin-loaded zein/matrine nanoparticles (CZMNPs) was accomplished using an antisolvent precipitation method. The encapsulation efficiency of curcumin in ZMNPs (zein/MAR = 8:1, 20 mg zein and 2.5 mg matrine) was significantly greater (52.64%) than that of nanoparticles produced from a single zein (2.50%). CZMNPs demonstrated a notable encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity (88.30% and 7.84%, respectively) upon the addition of 2 mg of curcumin, and were capable of sustained and gradual release of curcumin in simulated intestinal fluid. Furthermore, the stability of ZMNPs was observed to be favorable across a range of environmental conditions, including pH levels of 2–4 and 6–9, salt concentrations of ≤150 mM, temperatures of ≤90 °C, and storage at room temperature for a duration of 30 days. Additionally, the inherent anti-cancer properties of MAR make CZMNPs a more efficacious inhibitor of tumor cell proliferation in vitro . Moreover, the uptake of CZMNPs by A549 cells was significantly enhanced, potentially through the process of endocytosis. Therefore, the incorporation of matrine in zein-based nanoparticles confers anticancer properties to the resulting ZMNPs. These nanoparticles can serve as encapsulating agents for bioactive compounds in pharmaceutical formulations and as a novel delivery strategy for long-term cancer care. Specifically, matrine is anticipated to function as a potential stabilizer for other nanosystems.
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