Formulation and Physicochemical Characterization of Gelatin–Curcuma longa L. Extract Nanoparticles Prepared by Coaxial Electrospraying

Abstract

Curcuma longa L. rhizomes contain curcuminoids and other compounds of interest, but their incorporation into aqueous systems is limited by poor dispersibility and chemical instability. This study formulated gelatin–Curcuma longa L. extract nanoparticles by coaxial electrospraying. A dried hydroethanolic extract was obtained from commercial Curcuma longa L. powder by ultrasound-microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE), with a mean gravimetric yield of 12.46 ± 1.47%. Because the recovered material was not purified or quantified by a compound-specific method, it is described as Curcuma longa L. extract rather than curcumin. Gelatin solutions at 8 and 10% (w/v) were used as the outer feed, whereas extract solutions at 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0% (w/v) were used as the inner feed. The precursor solutions showed near-Newtonian behavior. The 8% gelatin–0.5% extract formulation exhibited predominantly spherical morphology, a hydrodynamic diameter of 266.27 ± 0.57 nm, and the lowest PDI (0.24 ± 0.01). FTIR-ATR results were consistent with non-covalent interactions, mainly hydrogen bonding. These findings support coaxial electrospraying as a suitable method for preparing gelatin–Curcuma longa L. extract nanoparticles.