It　is　well　documented　that　curcumin　(CUR),　as　a　polyphenol　molecule　originated　from　turmeric,　has　many　advantages　such　as　antioxidative,　anti-inflammatory,　neuroprotective,　and　antitumor　effects.　However,　because　of　its　poor　water　solubility　and　low　bioavailability,　the　biomedical　applications　of　CUR　are　limited.　So,　in　this　study,　we　modified　CUR　with　conjugation　to　a　food-derived　hydrophilic　hydroxyethyl　starch　(HES)　via　an　ester　linkage　to　fabricate　the　amphiphilic　conjugate　HES-CUR　prior　to　self-assembling　into　uniform　nanoparticles　(HES-CUR　NPs).　And,　the　results　of　the　H-1　NMR　spectra　and　FT-IR　spectrum　showed　successful　synthesis　of　HES-CUR　NPs;　moreover,　the　solubility　and　the　drug　loading　efficiency　of　CUR　were　significantly　increased.　Next,　we　further　explored　the　differences　on　the　antitumor　effects　between　HES-CUR　NPs　and　CUR　in　HepG2　cells,　and　the　results　of　the　CCK8-assay　and　cell　counting　experiment　showed　that　HES-CUR　NPs　exhibited　a　more　significant　antiproliferative　effect　than　that　of　CUR　in　HepG2　cells.　And　HepG2　cells　were　more　sensitive　to　apoptosis　induced　by　HES-CUR　NPs　as　evidenced　by　flow　cytometry,　increased　cytochrome　c　level,　and　decreased　full　length　caspase-3　and　Bcl-2　protein　expressions.　Additionally,　we　found　that　the　efficacy　of　HES-CUR　NPs　against　HepG2　cells　might　be　related　to　the　enhanced　degree　of　mitochondrial　damage　(decrease　of　the　mitochondrial　membrane　potential　and　ATP)　and　autophagy　(increased　levels　of　Beclin-1　and　LC3-II　proteins).　So,　the　findings　in　this　study　suggest　that　HES-CUR　NPs　have　a　great　application　potential　in　antitumor　efficacy　and　play　an　important　role　in　multiple　signal　pathways.