Chitosan-gum Arabic complex nanocarriers for encapsulation of saffron bioactive components

Evaluation of Antitumor Efficacy of Chitosan-Tamarind Gum Polysaccharide Polyelectrolyte Complex Stabilized Nanoparticles of Simvastatin

PURPOSE

The present study was intended to fabricate chitosan (Ch)-tamarind gum polysaccharide (TGP) polyelectrolyte complex stabilized cubic nanoparticles of simvastatin and evaluate their potential against human breast cancer cell lines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The antisolvent precipitation method was used for formulation of nanoparticles. Factorial design (32) was utilized as a tool to analyze the effect of Ch and TGP concentration on particle size and entrapment efficiency of nanoparticles.

RESULTS

Formulated nanoparticles showed high entrapment efficiency (67.19±0.42-83.36±0.23%) and small size (53.3-383.1 nm). The present investigation involved utilization of two biological membranes (egg and tomato) as biological barriers for drug release. The study revealed that drug release from tomato membranes was retarded (as compared to egg membranes) but the release pattern matched that of egg membranes. All formulations followed the Baker-Lansdale model of drug release irrespective of the two different biological barriers. Stability studies were carried out for 45 days and exhibited less variation in particle size as well as a reduction in entrapment efficiency. Simvastatin loaded PEC stabilized nanoparticles exhibited better control on growth of human breast cancer cell lines than simple simvastatin. An unusual anticancer effect of simvastatin nanoparticles is also supported by several other research studies.

CONCLUSION

The present study involves first-time synthesis of Ch-TGP polyelectrolyte complex stabilized nanoparticles of simvastatin against MCF-7 cells. It recommends that, in future, theoretical modeling and IVIVC should be carried out for perfect designing of delivery systems.

Fabrication and characterization of sunflower protein isolate nanoparticles, and their potential for encapsulation and sustainable release of curcumin

In this research, first, the effects of two desolvating agents (ethanol and methanol) at three temperature values (4, 25, and 50 °C) on the fabrication of sunflower protein isolate (SnPI) nanoparticles were studied using a desolvation method. Second, the ability of the nanoparticles to encapsulate curcumin was investigated. Results showed that ethanol led to smaller nanoparticles compared to methanol as the desolvating agent at 4 and 50 °C. However, at 25 °C, ethanol formed the most uniform nanoparticles with the lowest polydispersity index (0.188 ± 0.091) and particle size of 174.64 ± 30.61 nm. The encapsulation efficiency was in the range of 39.1 to 95.4% according to the fabrication condition and curcumin-to-protein mass ratio. A biphasic trend of curcumin release from nanoparticles was observed; in which, over 50% of curcumin was released from the curcumin-loaded nanoparticles in the first 2 h, which is attributed to the burst effect of the protein matrix.

Development of nanochitosan-based active packaging films containing free and nanoliposome caraway (Carum carvi. L) seed extract

The biocompatible active films were prepared based on nanochitosan (NCh) containing free and nanoliposome caraway seed extract (NLCE). The produced films were characterized by physico-mechanical, barrier, structural, color, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties. The average particle size of NLCE was 78-122 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency (EE%) was obtained 49.87%-73.07%. Nanoliposomes with the lowest size and the highest encapsulation efficiency were merged with the film samples. NCh/CE3% and NCh/NLCE3% films had higher stability compared to other films and showed the highest antimicrobial activity (3.68 mm inhibition) and radical quenching capacity (51%), respectively. Likewise, biodegradable active films containing nanoliposomes had lower antimicrobial potential and higher antioxidant capacity than films containing free extract with similar concentration. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results revealed new interactions between NCh and nanoliposomes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation also exhibited a homogenous structure and nearly smooth surface morphology with a good dispersion for NCh/NLCE films. Despite an increase in yellowness (b value) and a decrease in whiteness (L value) index, the incorporation of nanoliposomes within the NCh films improved the mechanical flexibility (from 10.2% to 15.05%) and reduced water vapor permeability (WVP) (from 14.2 × 10-12 g/m·s·Pa to 11.9 × 10-12 g/m·s·Pa). Today, due to the growing trend toward natural ingredients, the use of nanoparticles derived from plant derivatives has expanded in the food industry owing to their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of fish oil encapsulation within different micro/nanocarriers

Fish oil is one of the most important sources of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid which are the most important PUFAs with several health benefits. However, PUFAs are prone to oxidation and have a poor water solubility which limits the use of fish oils into food formulations. Encapsulation techniques can be applied to overcome these challenges. There is a large number of published micro/nanoencapsulation papers, where each of them contains a limited number of wall materials, feed formulation, encapsulation technique, and storage conditions. Therefore, without systematic evaluation of the data extracted from available studies, the design of functional foods containing fish oil would not be very successful. The objective of this systematic review is a meta-analysis of published researches on the nano/microencapsulation of fish oil. A comprehensive literature search was performed between 1 October and 31 December 2019 with encapsulation, fish oil, and oxidative stability keywords. Overall, 39 qualified articles were selected for the statistical analysis. Based on the technique used for encapsulation, the fish oil-loaded carriers were classified into four main groups: (a) spray-dried particles; (b) freeze-dried particles; (c) electrospun fibers and electrosprayed capsules; and (d) other carriers prepared by supercritical antisolvent, gelation, liposomes, spray-freeze drying, and transglutaminase catalyzed cross-linking. The three most frequent methods applied for fish oil encapsulation were spray drying (42.86%), freeze drying (21.43%), and electrohydrodynamic (19.04%) methods, respectively. Averagely, the best encapsulation efficiency was obtained for electrohydrodynamic processes. Also, the combination of polysaccharide-protein based wall materials provided the best performance in terms of fish oil encapsulation efficiency.

Nanosystems for the Encapsulation of Natural Products: The Case of Chitosan Biopolymer as a Matrix

Chitosan is a cationic natural polysaccharide, which has emerged as an increasingly interesting biomaterialover the past few years. It constitutes a novel perspective in drug delivery systems and nanocarriers' formulations due to its beneficial properties, including biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity. The potentiality of chemical or enzymatic modifications of the biopolymer, as well as its complementary use with other polymers, further attract the scientific community, offering improved and combined properties in the final materials. As a result, chitosan has been extensively used as a matrix for the encapsulation of several valuable compounds. In this review article, the advantageous character of chitosan as a matrix for nanosystemsis presented, focusing on the encapsulation of natural products. A five-year literature review is attempted covering the use of chitosan and modified chitosan as matrices and coatings for the encapsulation of natural extracts, essential oils or pure naturally occurring bioactive compounds are discussed.

Chitosan nanoparticles loaded with clove essential oil: Characterization, antioxidant and antibacterial activities

One of the recent trends in the food industry is application of natural antioxidant/antimicrobial agents. In this study, essential oil of clove buds was extracted and encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles using a two-step technique of emulsion-ionic gelation. A good retention rate (55.8-73.4 %) of clove essential oil (CEO) loaded in chitosan nanoparticles was confirmed. Also, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed the success of CEO encapsulation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images illustrated regular distribution and spherical shape of nanoparticles with a size range of 223-444 nm. The antioxidant activity of CEO-loaded chitosan nanoparticles was higher than free CEO. Similarly, CEO-loaded chitosan nanoparticles had a high antibacterial activity against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus (inhibition halo diameter of 4.80-4.78 cm). This technique could improve the efficiency of CEO in food products and a delivery system for novel applications such as active packaging.