Fabrication and characterization of biomineral amphiphilic copolymer hybrid microparticle: Evaluation of storage stability and collagen synthesis property of curcumin

Microencapsulation is an available and effective therapeutic option for entrapping targeted bioactive components. In this study, biomineralization-mediated separation and encapsulation of food-derived bioactive materials in organic materials were conducted, and the storage stability and effectiveness of these materials in the promotion of skin wound healing were assessed. To generate fine-textured and mechanically stable hexagonal particles, the hybrid materials were assembled using CaCO3 mineralized with an amphiphilic copolymer coupled with curcumin (CUR). The synthesized products were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and particle size analysis. The hybrid microparticles contained 1.58 wt% of CUR, and 91% of its initial concentration was retained after storage at four different temperatures. Based on the crystallization mechanism, CUR with an amphiphilic copolymer could be the core component that provides the surface for CaCO3 crystal growth, causing independent formation of the organic–inorganic structures and preventing CUR leaching. Furthermore, the induced hybrid particles were found to promote skin wound healing by stimulating collagen synthesis without inducing cytotoxicity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the potential use of bioactive ingredients with an amphiphilic copolymer combined with biomineralization for formulation purposes and to achieve a skin wound healing effect.