Physical properties and antioxidant activity of curcumin‑zinc metal-organic frameworks.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer diverse applications in the food industry, facilitating loading, protection, and controlled release of functional ingredients despite encountering loading capacity and functional activity limitations. This study focuses on curcumin‑zinc MOFs, harnessing curcumin's renowned health benefits and zinc to enhance pharmacological properties. We evaluated their synthesis efficiency, stability under varying conditions (pH, salt concentration, temperature), loading and antioxidant capacity. The results showed that microwave synthesis yielded MOFs with a 23.2 ± 4.5% yield, stable within pH 4–10, gradually decomposing in PBS. DPPH, ABTS, and H₂O₂ assays revealed varying free radical scavenging abilities. MOFs disintegrate in either acidic environments or contain H 2 O 2 (at a concentration threshold of 10 μM). Post-disintegration, these MOFs significantly inhibiting the secretion of TNF-α by RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS. These findings highlight the potential of novel curcumin‑zinc MOF materials for nutrient delivery, addressing challenges in effectively delivering functional ingredients. • Cur-Zn MOFs offer a platform for curcumin or other bioactive component delivery. • The physical properties and antioxidant activity of MOF were studied through simulation and experiment. • Microwave synthesis yielded MOFs with a 23.2 ± 4.5% yield, stable within pH 4–10. • MOF responds to acidic and inflammatory H 2 O 2 environments, in turn scavenging free radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]