A supramolecular curcumin vesicle and its application in controlling curcumin release

We designed a supramolecular curcumin vesicle based on different curcumin-cyclodextrin amphiphiles, which could greatly enhance the aqueous solubility of curcumin up to 7000-fold. The vesicles existed for about one month in aqueous solution at around 20 °C, showing a certain colloidal stability. Curcumin vesicles were also prepared when different host molecules were employed as the hydrophilic heads of the supramolecular amphiphiles. Finally, curcumin could be controllably released with the disruption of the vesicles when the external stimuli, including competitive guest molecules, enzymes and copper ions were added into the vesicles system.