Ultrasound-assisted self-assembly of β-cyclodextrin/debranched starch nanoparticles as promising carriers of tangeretin

In this study, a starch-based nanocarrier was fabricated to allow tangeretin to avoid the disadvantages of poor aqueous solubility and weak stability. A green technique comprised of a combination of ultrasonication and recrystallization was applied, which ensured the products would be more applicable in the food , pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Debranched starch (DBS) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) underwent ultrasonic irradiation and were self-assembled at 4 °C to form CD/DBS-nanoparticles (NPs). By developing CD/DBS-NPs with different degrees of polymerization of DBS and under varied durations of ultrasonic irradiation, the correlation between particle construction and tangeretin loading ability of CD/DBS-NPs was revealed. The maximum loading amount and loading efficiency of tangeretin in tangeretin-loaded CD/DBS-NPs (TAN@CD/DBS-NPs) were 17.91 ± 0.03 μg/mg and 83.20 ± 0.15%, respectively. Furthermore, the TAN@CD/DBS-NPs displayed a homogenous distribution and satisfying stability in a series of human microenvironments, including ionic strength (physiological saline), temperature (37 °C), and acidic stomach conditions (pH 2.1). In addition, the maximum retention index of tangeretin in TAN@CD/DBS-NPs reached 99.21 ± 0.17% after a 20-day storage period, suggesting an outstanding effectiveness of CD/DBS-NPs for tangeretin preservation. The prepared nanocarriers were demonstrated to be non-toxic to cells, showing promising potential for applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries.