The presence of propylene glycol alginate increased the stability and intestine-targeted delivery potential of carboxymethyl starch-stabilized emulsions

[Display omitted] •Carboxymethyl starch/propylene glycol alginate (CMS/PGA) complexes were prepared.•CMS/PGA complexes were used as curcumin (Cur)-loaded emulsion stabilizers.•CMS/PGA complex-stabilized emulsions showed high encapsulation efficiency of Cur.•Emulsions stabilized by CMS/PGA complexes had long-term storage stabilit.•PGA increased the intestine-targeted delivery potential of CMS-stabilized emulsion. Propylene glycol alginate (PGA) was added to improve the stability and delivery performance of carboxymethyl starch (CMS)-stabilized emulsion. In the first instance, the CMS/PGA complexes were characterized, which proved that the formation of CMS/PGA complexes mainly depended on hydrogen bonding, and the CMS/PGA complexes showed porous networks. The CMS/PGA complexes were more hydrophobic than CMS, and the interaction of CMS with PGA enhanced the thermal stability of CMS. Next, the effects of CMS/PGA complexes on the properties of emulsions were investigated, and the intestine-targeted delivery potential of emulsions was evaluated through the in vitro release study as well. The droplet size of CMS/PGA complex-stabilized emulsions gradually decreased and the encapsulation efficiency (EE) improved with increasing the PGA content in CMS/PGA complexes. The addition of PGA also greatly improved the physical stability of emulsions, including anti-flocculation and anti-coalescence stabilities. All emulsions exhibited non-Newtonian pseudoplastic properties. Furthermore, the emulsions stabilized by CMS/PGA complexes showed reduced curcumin (Cur) release in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF), whereas exhibited sustained release in the α-amylase-containing simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). These results demonstrated that the emulsion stabilized by CMS/PGA complex was able to control and modulate the release of Cur in the gastrointestinal tract, and was therefore a promising intestine-targeted delivery system for Cur.