| Abstract:As a typical flavonoid, naringenin exhibits attractive pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-cancer properties, and lowering lipids. However, due to its poor water solubility and low bioavailability in aqueous solutions, the pharmaceutical application of naringenin is very limited. In this study, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) were used as carriers for naringenin, and the CNC/naringenin nanocomposite was prepared based on anti-solvent recrystallization method. After that, the CNC/naringenin nanocomposite was characterized and its dissolution and anti-oxidation activity in aqueous systems were investigated. The results showed that naringenin was effectively nanolized and well dispersed, as well as transformed from crystalline state to amorphous state in aqueous system based on the formation of CNC/naringenin nanocomposite. The cumulative dissolution of naringenin in CNC/naringenin nanocomposite obviously increased to 93.4% at 120 min. Furthermore, the in vitro anti-oxidation activity of naringenin was clearly enhanced based on the formation of CNC/naringenin nanocomposite. The above results support the conclusion that the use of CNCs as nanocarriers for naringenin is a promising technique to improve the bioavailability of naringenin in aqueous systems. |