Amphiphilic chitosan derivative-based core–shell micelles: Synthesis, characterisation and properties for sustained release of Vitamin D3

Enhancing the stability of tocotrienol nanoemulsion developed using ultrasonic treatment with amphiphilic starch nanoparticles serving as the matrix

BACKGROUND

Octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSA) is one of the efficient compounds used in food industries as an emulsifier. The current study describes the augmentation of tocotrienol (T3) bioavailability by combining it with OSA and then converting it into a nanoemulsion. The creation of the nanoemulsions ASG-T3U10, ASG-T3U20 and ASG-T3U30 involved ultrasonication power at 300 W for 10, 20 and 30 cycles, respectively.

RESULT

The nanoemulsion particle sizes of ASG-T3U30, ASG-T3U20 and ASG-T3U10 ranged from 100 to 200, 200 to 300 and >300 nm (P < 0.05), respectively. ASG-T3U30 exhibited enhanced encapsulation efficiency and potential stability in a simulated gastrointestinal environment. A range of models such as zero order, Higuchi, Korsmeyer-Peppas, Peppas-Sahlin and Gompertz were utilized for the study of release kinetics. The models were found to be a good fit (R2 > 0.90) for the release of T3 in the gastrointestinal environment from an amphiphilic starch matrix. Storage stability tests showed that the emulsions were stable for 21 days of storage at 4 °C, but after 14 days, samples with particle diameters greater than 200 nm displayed the onset of Ostwald ripening.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that the stability of the nanoemulsion was effectively enhanced through increased ultrasonication cycles. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Oral absorption mechanisms of polysaccharides and potential as carriers for the construction of nano-delivery systems: A review

Polysaccharides have garnered increasing attention in recent years for their potential in oral drug delivery within biomaterials and pharmaceuticals, owing to their excellent physicochemical properties, bioactivity, and low toxicity. However, the absorption of polysaccharides encounters multiple challenges posed by the biological, chemical, mechanical, and immune barriers of the intestinal mucosa. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms by which polysaccharides traverse the intestinal mucosa for oral absorption is essential for their further development and application. Current studies have identified several polysaccharide absorption pathways, including transcellular transport, paracellular transport, M cell and Peyer's patches mediated transport, and intestinal flora mediated transport. Furthermore, numerous studies have demonstrated that polysaccharides can enhance the solubility, gastrointestinal stability, and permeability of small molecule components, which significantly improves their bioavailability. More importantly, nano-delivery systems utilizing polysaccharides as carriers have shown great promise in enhancing the targeting of small molecule components, thereby opening new avenues for drug delivery applications. We hope this review will provide theoretical support and inspiration for a deeper understanding of oral absorption mechanisms and the potential of polysaccharides in the development of nano-delivery systems.

Physicochemical stability and controlled release of vitamin D3-loaded emulsions stabilised by whey protein isolate-basil seed gum conjugates

AIM

The present study was conducted to produce a new carrier containing whey protein isolate-basil seed gum (WPI-BSG) conjugate to achieve superior physicochemical stability of emulsions containing vitamin D3 (Vit-D3).

METHODS

Zeta-potential and particle size analysis, spectrophotometric method, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity and dialysis bag method were used to examined physicochemical stability and Vit-D3 release from the emulsions.

RESULTS

The conjugate-stabilised emulsion showed maximum encapsulation efficiency (87.05 ± 3.37% (w/w)) and loading capacity (5.43 ± 0.08% (w/w)) at the Vit-D3 concentration of 200 and 300 mg/kg. This emulsion also demonstrated good physical stability after 30 days of storage with the zeta potential and mean droplet size of -79.60 ± 0.62 mV and 1346.82 ± 5.95 nm, respectively. Additionally, the conjugate-stabilised emulsion had a maximum Vit-D3 retention (chemical stability) of 72.79 ± 3.58% after a 15-day storage period.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the conjugate-stabilised emulsion has a good stabilising capacity as a carrier for hydrophobic compounds such as Vit-D3.

Micellar delivery systems of bioactive compounds for precision nutrition

Rapid changes in lifestyle and the increasingly hectic pace of life have led to a rise in chronic diseases, such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease, and cancer, posing significant threats to public health. In response to these challenges, precision nutrition (PN) has emerged as a secure and effective intervention aiming at human health and well-being. Bioactive compounds (bioactives), including carotenoids, polyphenols, vitamins, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, exhibit a range of beneficial properties, e.g., antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. These properties make them promising candidates for preventing or treating chronic diseases and promoting human health. However, bioactives might have different challenges when incorporated into food matrices and oral administration, including low water solubility, poor physiochemical stability, and low absorption efficiency. This limits them to achieve the health benefits in the body. Numerous strategies have been developed and utilized to encapsulate and deliver bioactives. Micellar delivery systems, due to their unique core-shell structure, play a pivotal role in improving the stability, solubility, and bioavailability of these bioactives. Moreover, through innovative design strategies, micellar delivery systems can be tailored to offer targeted and controlled release, thus maximizing the potential of bioactives in PN applications. This chapter reveals details about the preparation methods and properties of micelles and highlights the strategies to modulate the properties of polymeric micelles. Afterwards, the application of polymeric micelles in the delivery of bioactives and the corresponding PN, including controlled release, organ-targeting ability, and nutritional intervention for chronic disease are summarized.

Preparation, Characterization, and Antioxidant Properties of Self-Assembled Nanomicelles of Curcumin-Loaded Amphiphilic Modified Chitosan

Curcumin (Cur) is a phytochemical with various beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities. However, its hydrophobicity, poor bioavailability, and stability limit its application in many biological approaches. In this study, a novel amphiphilic chitosan wall material was synthesized. The process was carried out via grafting chitosan with succinic anhydride (SA) as a hydrophilic group and deoxycholic acid (DA) as a hydrophobic group; 1H-NMR, FTIR, and XRD were employed to characterize the amphiphilic chitosan (CS-SA-DA). Using a low-cost, inorganic solvent-based procedure, CS-SA-DA was self-assembled to load Cur nanomicelles. This amphiphilic polymer formed self-assembled micelles with a core-shell structure and a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 0.093 mg·mL-1. Cur-loaded nanomicelles were prepared by self-assembly and characterized by the Nano Particle Size Potential Analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mean particle size of the spherical Cur-loaded micelles was 770 nm. The drug entrapment efficiency and loading capacities were up to 80.80 ± 0.99% and 19.02 ± 0.46%, respectively. The in vitro release profiles of curcumin from micelles showed a constant release of the active drug molecule. Cytotoxicity studies and toxicity tests for zebrafish exhibited the comparable efficacy and safety of this delivery system. Moreover, the results showed that the entrapment of curcumin in micelles improves its stability, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity.

Construction of intelligent drug delivery system based on polysaccharide-derived polymer micelles: A review

Micelles are nanostructures developed via the spontaneous assembly of amphiphilic polymers in aqueous systems, which possess the advantages of high drug stability or active-ingredient solubilization, targeted transport, controlled release, high bioactivity, and stability. Polysaccharides have excellent water solubility, biocompatibility, and degradability, and can be modified to achieve a hydrophobic core to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs, improve drug biocompatibility, and achieve regulated delivery of the loaded drug. Micelles drug delivery systems based on polysaccharides and their derivatives show great potential in the biomedical field. This review discusses the principles of self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers and the formation of micelles; the preparation of amphiphilic polysaccharides is described in detail, and an overview of common polysaccharides and their modifications is provided. We focus on the review of strategies for encapsulating drugs in polysaccharide-derived polymer micelles (PDPMs) and building intelligent drug delivery systems. This review provides new research directions that will help promote future research and development of PDPMs in the field of drug carriers.

Self-Assembled Amphiphilic Chitosan Nanomicelles: Synthesis, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity

Although amphiphilic chitosan has been widely studied as a drug carrier for drug delivery, fewer studies have been conducted on the antimicrobial activity of amphiphilic chitosan. In this study, we successfully synthesized deoxycholic acid-modified chitosan (CS-DA) by grafting deoxycholic acid (DA) onto chitosan C2-NH2, followed by grafting succinic anhydride, to prepare a novel amphiphilic chitosan (CS-DA-SA). The substitution degree was 23.93% for deoxycholic acid and 29.25% for succinic anhydride. Both CS-DA and CS-DA-SA showed good blood compatibility. Notably, the synthesized CS-DA-SA can self-assemble to form nanomicelles at low concentrations in an aqueous environment. The results of CS, CS-DA, and CS-DA-SA against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus showed that CS-DA and CS-DA-SA exhibited stronger antimicrobial effects than CS. CS-DA-SA may exert its antimicrobial effect by disrupting cell membranes or forming a membrane on the cell surface. Overall, the novel CS-DA-SA biomaterials have a promising future in antibacterial therapy.

A pectin-based photoactivated bactericide nanosystem for achieving an improved utilization rate, photostability and targeted delivery of hematoporphyrin

Photoactivated pesticides have many advantages, such as high activity, low toxicity, and no drug resistance. However, poor photostability and a low utilization rate limit their practical application. Herein, the photosensitizer hematoporphyrin (HP) was used as a photoactivated pesticide, covalently linked with pectin (PEC) via ester bonds, to prepare an amphiphilic polymer pro-bactericide, and subsequently self-assembled in aqueous solutions to obtain an esterase-triggered nanobactericide delivery system. The fluorescence quenching effect due to the aggregation of HP in nanoparticles (NPs) enabled the inhibition of photodegradation of HP in this system. Esterase stimulation could trigger HP release and increase its photodynamic activity. Antibacterial assays have shown that the NPs had potent antibacterial capacity, almost completely inactivating bacteria after 60 min of exposure to light. The NPs had good adherence to the leaves. Safety assessment indicated that the NPs have no obvious toxic effects on plants. Antibacterial studies on plants have shown that the NPs have excellent antibacterial effects on infected plants. These results provide a new strategy for obtaining a photoactivated bactericide nanosystem with a high utilization rate and good photostability and targeting ability.

pH-Responsive Water-Soluble Chitosan Amphiphilic Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Radiation-Assisted Green Synthesis and Drug-Controlled Release Studies

This work aims to apply water radiolysis-mediated green synthesis of amphiphilic core–shell water-soluble chitosan nanoparticles (WCS NPs) via free radical graft copolymerization in an aqueous solution using irradiation. Robust grafting poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) comb-like brushes were established onto WCS NPs modified with hydrophobic deoxycholic acid (DC) using two aqueous solution systems, i.e., pure water and water/ethanol. The degree of grafting (DG) of the robust grafted poly(PEGMA) segments was varied from 0 to ~250% by varying radiation-absorbed doses from 0 to 30 kGy. Using reactive WCS NPs as a water-soluble polymeric template, a high amount of DC conjugation and a high degree of poly(PEGMA) grafted segments brought about high moieties of hydrophobic DC and a high DG of the poly(PEGMA) hydrophilic functions; meanwhile, the water solubility and NP dispersion were also markedly improved. The DC-WCS-PG building block was excellently self-assembled into the core–shell nanoarchitecture. The DC-WCS-PG NPs efficiently encapsulated water-insoluble anticancer and antifungal drugs, i.e., paclitaxel (PTX) and berberine (BBR) (~360 mg/g). The DC-WCS-PG NPs met the role of controlled release with a pH-responsive function due to WCS compartments, and they showed a steady state for maintaining drugs for up to >10 days. The DC-WCS-PG NPs prolonged the inhibition capacity of BBR against the growth of S. ampelinum for 30 days. In vitro cytotoxicity results of the PTX-loaded DC-WCS-PG NPs with human breast cancer cells and human skin fibroblast cells proved the role of the DC-WCS-PG NPs as a promising nanoplatform for controlling drug release and reducing the side effects of the drugs on normal cells.

Fortification by design: A rational approach to designing vitamin D delivery systems for foods and beverages

Over the past few decades, vitamin D deficiency has been recognized as a serious global public health challenge. The World Health Organization has recommended fortification of foods with vitamin D, but this is often challenging because of its low water solubility, poor chemical stability, and low bioavailability. Studies have shown that these challenges can be overcome by encapsulating vitamin D within well-designed delivery systems containing nanoscale or microscale particles. The characteristics of these particles, such as their composition, size, structure, interfacial properties, and charge, can be controlled to attain desired functionality for specific applications. Recently, there has been great interest in the design, production, and application of vitamin-D loaded delivery systems. Many of the delivery systems reported in the literature are unsuitable for widespread application due to the complexity and high costs of the processing operations required to fabricate them, or because they are incompatible with food matrices. In this article, the concept of "fortification by design" is introduced, which involves a systematic approach to the design, production, and testing of colloidal delivery systems for the encapsulation and fortification of oil-soluble vitamins, using vitamin D as a model. Initially, the challenges associated with the incorporation of vitamin D into foods and beverages are reviewed. The fortification by design concept is then described, which involves several steps: (i) selection of appropriate vitamin D form; (ii) selection of appropriate food matrix; (iii) identification of appropriate delivery system; (iv) identification of appropriate production method; (vii) establishment of appropriate testing procedures; and (viii) system optimization.

Topical ocular delivery of vancomycin loaded cationic lipid nanocarriers as a promising and non-invasive alternative approach to intravitreal injection for enhanced bacterial endophthalmitis management

Vancomycin (VCM) is a drug of choice for treating infections caused by Staphylococcus species, reported being the most causative agent of bacterial endophthalmitis. However, the ocular bioavailability of topically applied VCM is low due to its high molecular weight and hydrophilicity. The current study sought to explore whether the nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) fabricated via cold homogenization technique could improve ocular penetration and prolong the ophthalmic residence of VCM. A 2³ full factorial design was adopted to evaluate the influence of different process and formulation variables on VCM-loaded NLC formulae. The optimized formula with the particle size of 96.4 ± 0.71 nm and narrow size distribution showed spherical morphology obtained by AFM and represented sustained drug release up to 67% in 48 h fitted to the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with probably non-Fickian diffusion kinetic. FTIR studies visualized the drug-carrier interactions in great detail. High encapsulation of VCM (74.8 ± 4.3% w/w) in NLC has been established in DSC and PXRD analysis. The optimal positively charged (+ 29.7 ± 0.47 mV) colloidal dispersion was also stable for 12 weeks at both 4 °C and 25 °C. According to in vivo studies, incorporation of VCM in NLC resulted in a nearly 3-fold increase in the intravitreal concentration of VCM after eye-drop instillation over control groups. Besides, microbiological evaluation admitted its therapeutic effect within five days is comparable to intravitreal injection of VCM. Further, the optimized formula was found to be nonirritant and safe for ophthalmic administration in RBC hemolytic assay. Also, fluorescent tracking of NLCs on rabbit's cornea showed an increase in corneal penetration of nanoparticles. Thus, it is possible to infer that the evolved NLCs are promising drug delivery systems with superior attainments for enhanced Vancomycin ophthalmic delivery to the eye's posterior segment and improved bacterial endophthalmitis management.

Formation of Amphiphilic Molecules from the Most Common Marine Polysaccharides, toward a Sustainable Alternative?

Marine polysaccharides are part of the huge seaweeds resources and present many applications for several industries. In order to widen their potential as additives or bioactive compounds, some structural modifications have been studied. Among them, simple hydrophobization reactions have been developed in order to yield to grafted polysaccharides bearing acyl-, aryl-, alkyl-, and alkenyl-groups or fatty acid chains. The resulting polymers are able to present modified physicochemical and/or biological properties of interest in the current pharmaceutical, cosmetics, or food fields. This review covers the chemical structures of the main marine polysaccharides, and then focuses on their structural modifications, and especially on hydrophobization reactions mainly esterification, acylation, alkylation, amidation, or even cross-linking reaction on native hydroxyl-, amine, or carboxylic acid functions. Finally, the question of the necessary requirement for more sustainable processes around these structural modulations of marine polysaccharides is addressed, considering the development of greener technologies applied to traditional polysaccharides.

Preparation of β-lactoglobulin/gum arabic complex nanoparticles for encapsulation and controlled release of EGCG in simulated gastrointestinal digestion model

In this work, the β-lactoglobulin/gum arabic (β-Lg-GA) complexes were prepared to encapsulate epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), forming β-Lg-GA-EGCG complex nanoparticles with an average particle size of 133 nm. The β-Lg-GA complexes exhibited excellent encapsulation efficiency (84.5%), and the antioxidant performance of EGCG in vitro was improved after encapsulation. It was recorded that 86% of EGCG could be released in simulated intestinal fluid after 3 h of digestion, much faster than that in simulated gastric fluid, indicating that the β-Lg-GA complexes were effective in enhancing EGCG stability, which was confirmed using SDS-PAGE and SEM. Further spectrum results demonstrated that various intramolecular interactions including electrostatic, hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions contribute to the formation of β-Lg-GA-EGCG complex nanoparticles. Also, XRDexperiments indicated that EGCG was successfully encapsulated by β-Lg-GA complexes. Therefore, the β-Lg-GA complexes hold great potentials in the protective delivery of sensitive bioactives.

Potential of Nanonutraceuticals in Increasing Immunity

Nutraceuticals are defined as foods or their extracts that have a demonstrably positive effect on human health. According to the decision of the European Food Safety Authority, this positive effect, the so-called health claim, must be clearly demonstrated best by performed tests. Nutraceuticals include dietary supplements and functional foods. These special foods thus affect human health and can positively affect the immune system and strengthen it even in these turbulent times, when the human population is exposed to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of these special foods are supplemented with nanoparticles of active substances or processed into nanoformulations. The benefits of nanoparticles in this case include enhanced bioavailability, controlled release, and increased stability. Lipid-based delivery systems and the encapsulation of nutraceuticals are mainly used for the enrichment of food products with these health-promoting compounds. This contribution summarizes the current state of the research and development of effective nanonutraceuticals influencing the body's immune responses, such as vitamins (C, D, E, B12, folic acid), minerals (Zn, Fe, Se), antioxidants (carotenoids, coenzyme Q10, polyphenols, curcumin), omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics.

Effect of temperature and pH on the encapsulation and release of β-carotene from octenylsuccinated oat β-glucan micelles

Effect and working mechanism of temperature and pH on encapsulation and release of β-carotene from octenylsuccinated-oat-β-glucan-micelles (OSβG-Ms) were investigated. The stability and solubility of β-carotene, and changes in surface hydrophilicity, core hydrophobicity, and size of β-carotene-loaded-OSβG-Ms were determined. When exposed to temperature (25-45 °C) and pH (4.5-8.5), β-carotene solubilization changed in parabolic manners. Size and absolute zeta-potential of β-carotene-loaded-OSβG-Ms decreased with temperature, while they gave parabolic changing patterns with pH. Those results were ascribed to their hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, and core/shell compactness via regulating molecule mobility, orientation, and interactions by temperature/pH. The higher temperature concluded with higher β-carotene release, while a U-shaped release profile was observed with pH. Besides its diffusion, erosion-induced shrinking and collapsing of OSβG-Ms favored β-carotene release at pH 1.2-4.5, which was replaced by swelling-induced structural-relaxation at pH 6.8-8.5. The results were favourable in controlling the behavior of β-carotene-loaded-OSβG-Ms by selectively applying environmental parameters.

Fabrication of Biohybrid Cellulose Acetate-Collagen Bilayer Matrices as Nanofibrous Spongy Dressing Material for Wound-Healing Application

Tissue engineering is currently one the fastest growing engineering fields, requiring fabrication of advanced and multifunctional materials to be used as scaffolds or dressing for tissue regeneration. In this work, a bilayer matrix was fabricated by electrospinning of a hybrid cellulose acetate nanofibers (CA) containing bioactive latex or Ciprofloxacin over highly interconnected collagen (CSPG) 3D matrix previously obtained by a freeze-drying process. The bilayer matrix was fabricated with a nanofibrous part as the primary (top) layer and a spongy porous part as the secondary (bottom) layer by combining electrospinning and freeze-drying techniques to enhance the synergistic effect of both materials corresponding to physical and biological properties. The final material was physicochemically characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The bilayer matrix exhibited nanofibrous and 3D porous structure with properties such as high porosity, swelling, and stability required for soft-tissue-engineering applications. Furthermore, the in vitro biological and fluorescence properties of the matrix were tested against NIH 3T3 fibroblast and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines and showed good cell adhesion and proliferation over the bilayer matrix. Thus, the synergistic combination of nanofibrous material deposition onto to the collagenous porous material has proved efficient in the fabrication of a bilayer matrix for skin-tissue-engineering applications.

Vitamin D microencapsulation and fortification: Trends and technologies

Today, as per the latest medical reports available, majority of the population throughout globe is facing vitamin D (Vit D) deficiency. Even in sub-tropical countries like India and many others Vit D deficiency is highly prevalent despite the exuberant available sunshine (a major source of Vit D) throughtout the year. The reason could be attributed to an array of factors including socioeconomical, cultural and religious. Further, other than the sunlight, there are very limited sources of Vit D to fulfil the recommended dietary allowance of Vit D (RDA: 400-800 IU per day). A large proportion of Vit D is lost during food processing and storage due to environmental stress conditions such as temperature, pH, salt, oxygen and light. Vita D, an important micronutrient, is essentially required for the prevention of disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer etc. in addition to its traditional role in bone metabolism. Therefore, in order to meet the daily requirements of Vit D for human body, WHO has recognized fortification as the most efficient and safest method to address malnutrition. But there are innumerable chellenges involved during food fortification using Vit D as fortificants such as homogeneity into the food matrix, physico-chemical/photochemical degradation, loss during processing and storage, interactions with other components of food matrix resulting into change in taste, texture and appearance thus affecting acceptability, palatability and marketability. Fortification of Vit D into food products especially the ones which have an aqueous portion, is not simple for food technologist. Recent advances in nanotechnology offer various microencapsulation techniques such as liposome, solid-lipid particles, nanostructured lipid carriers, emulsion, spray drying etc. which have been used to design efficient nanomaterials with desired functionality and have great potential for fortification of fortificants like Vit D. The present review is an undate on Vit D, in light of its fortification level, RDA, factors affecting its bioavailability and various microencapsulation techniques adopted to develop Vit D-nanomaterials and their fate in food fortification.

Solubility and Bioavailability Enhancement of Oridonin: A Review

Oridonin (ORI), an ent-kaurene tetracyclic diterpenoid compound, is isolated from Chinese herb Rabdosia rubescens with various biological and pharmacological activities including anti-tumor, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the clinical application of ORI is limited due to its low solubility and poor bioavailability. In order to overcome these shortcomings, many strategies have been explored such as structural modification, new dosage form, etc. This review provides a detailed discussion on the research progress to increase the solubility and bioavailability of ORI.

Fabrication of nano-structured lipid carrier for encapsulation of vitamin D3 for fortification of 'Lassi'; A milk based beverage

A phase inversion based cold water dilution method was developed to encapsulate Vitamin D₃ (Vit D) in nano-structured lipid carrier (NLC) by blending caprylic-/capric triglyceride, Leciva S70 and Kolliphor HS®15, Vit D and sodium chloride. To optimize the process; a total of forty one formulations prepared by varying in their composition were tested for presence of NLC. Out of forty one formulations, only thirteen formulations resulted in NLC formation which were further evaluated for their physico-chemical attributes (particle size, zeta potential, transmittance, encapsulation efficiency and Vit D release). During principal component analysis using XLstats it was found that NLC-19, fabricated with 20% (v/v) Kolliphor, 20% (v/v) CCTG and 60% (v/v) water, 2.5% (w/v) Leciva, 2% (w/v) Vit D and 5% (w/v) sodium chloride was the most suitable for purpose of encapsulating Vitamin D. Hence, NLC-19 formulation was further taken up for stability studies under the following environmental stress conditions: (a) Temperature and humidity: accelerated condition: 45 ± 2 °C and RH 75 ± 5%, ambient condition: 25 ± 3 °C and RH 65 ± 5% and refrigerated condition: 6 ± 2 °C and RH 55 ± 5%, (b) pH: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and (c) Ionic strength (NaCl concentration): 0 mM, 250 mM, 500 mM and 750 mM. The sensory evaluation of 'Lassi' (fortified with NLC-19) and its acceptability further confirmed the suitability of NLC-19 for the purpose of fortification of Vitamin D₃ in 'Lassi' (A milk based beverage).

Drug Delivery Systems for Vitamin D Supplementation and Therapy

Vitamin D (VD) is a fat-soluble prohormone well known for its role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism. It has been clinically used for many years to prevent rickets in children, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis in adults. VD insufficiency is a common medical condition, and many supplements are available in the market in order to increase serum 25-hydroxy VD levels to recommended amounts. Over the course of the last decades, it has become increasingly clear that calcitriol, an active form of VD, regulates multiple cellular processes with effects on normal and malignant cell growth and differentiation, and on the immune and cardiovascular function. Increasing evidence supports the role of the VD system in cancer prevention and therapy. Due to many pleiotropic and beneficial effects in extra-skeletal disorders, VD has gained potential and become an interesting active for encapsulation into drug delivery systems. The purpose of this review is to present the diversity of drug delivery systems that have been reported for VD or VD derivatives in an orderly manner across the following categories: Oral administration, application on the skin, cancer prevention/therapy, and other diseases or routes of administration.

Insights into Micellization of Octenylsuccinated Oat β-Glucan and Uptake and Controlled Release of β-Carotene by the Resultant Micelles

The core-shell structured micelles from octenylsuccinated oat β-glucan (OSβG) are able to solubilize β-carotene (βC). This study reveals molecular interactions governing the formation, stabilization, and βC uptake of OSβG micelles (OSβG-Ms) by means such as water contact angle, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, dynamic light scattering, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The results indicated that the micellization of OSβG molecules is triggered by hydrophobic interactions between octenylsuccinate (OSA) moieties, while OSβG-Ms are stabilized via both hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. For their uptake of βC, βC molecules are first adsorbed onto OSβG-Ms by interacting with OSA moieties scattered on micelle surface. By further interacting with OSA moieties located in micelle shell, βC molecules travel across the shell and finally are trapped in the hydrophobic core. In simulated gastrointestinal fluids, βC is controlled released from OSβG-Ms as an integrated consequence of its diffusion as well as the swelling and erosion of OSβG-Ms. As a result, this study first uncovered the mechanism underlying the uptake of βC by OSβG-Ms, which will certainly facilitate the effective loading of hydrophobic ingredients by OSβG-Ms.

A phase inversion based nanoemulsion fabrication process to encapsulate vitamin D3 for food applications

A phase inversion based nanoemulsion fabrication process was developed to encapsulate vitamin D₃ by blending caprylic-/capric triglyceride (CCTG), Leciva S70, Kolliphor® HS 15, vitamin D₃ and aqueous phase (sodium chloride solution). In order to find out nanoparticle formation zone (NFZ), a ternary diagram was plotted with 41 possible combinations of three components CCTG, Kolliphor® HS 15 and aqueous phase. Out of forty one, only twelve combinations resulted in formation of stable nanoemulsion where the composition varied between 10%-40% (v/v), 10%-25% (v/v) and 35%-80% (v/v) for Kolliphor, CCTG and water respectively. Further, these 12 nanoemulsions were investigated for their particle size, zeta potential, emulsion stability, encapsulation efficiency and release kinetics (simulated digestion) of vitamin D. The nanoemulsion (NE-20) fabricated with 30% (v/v) Kolliphor, 20% (v/v) CCTG and 50% (v/v) aqueous phase was found to be the most suitable with respected to zeta potential, emulsion stability and encapsulation efficiency and also demonstrated high bioavailability of vitamin D as compared to other combinations and hence was selected for further physiochemical studies. The selected nanoemulsion was also investigated for particle size and zeta potential and stability of vitamin D₃ retention under different environmental stress conditions (i) temperature and humidity: (a) accelerated condition: 45 ± 2 °C and RH 75 ± 5%, (b) ambient condition: 25 ± 3 °C and RH 65 ± 5% and (c) refrigerated condition: 6 ± 2 °C and RH 55 ± 5% (ii) pH (3-7) under refrigerated condition and (iii) ionic strength: NaCl concentration (0 mM, 250 mM, 500 mM and 750 mM) under crefrigerated condition. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and High Perfomance Liquid Chromatograpy technique were used to study physico-chemical stability of encapsulated vitamin D₃ in the developed nanoemulsion. The sensory evaluation also indicated the acceptability of the selected nanoemulsion the purpose of fortification for beverages.

Chitosan nanoparticles for nitric oxide delivery in human skin

The use of nanoparticle-based transdermal delivery systems is a promising approach to efficiently carry and deliver therapeutic agents for dermal and systemic administration. Nitric oxide (NO) is a key molecule that plays important roles in human skin such as the control of skin homeostasis, skin defense, control of dermal blood flow, and wound healing. In addition, human skin contains stores of NO derivatives that can be mobilized and release free NO upon UV irradiation with beneficial cardiovascular effects, for instance the control of blood pressure. In this work, the NO donor precursor glutathione (GSH) was encapsulated (encapsulation efficiency of 99.60%) into ultra-small chitosan nanoparticles (CS NPs) (hydrodynamic size of 30.65 ± 11.90 nm). GSH-CS NPs have a core-shell structure, as revealed by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in which GSH is protected in the nanoparticle core. Nitrosation of GSH by nitrous acid led to the formation of the NO donor S-nitrosogluthathione (GSNO) into CS NPs. The GSNO release from the CS NPs followed a Fickian diffusion described by the Higuchi mathematical model. Topical application of GSNO-CS NPs in intact human skin significantly increased the levels of NO and its derivatives in the epidermis, as assayed by confocal microscopy, and this effect was further enhanced by skin irradiation with UV light. Therefore, NO-releasing CS NPs are suitable materials for transdermal NO delivery to local and/or systemic therapies.

Optimization and evaluation of Oridonin-loaded Soluplus®-Pluronic P105 mixed micelles for oral administration

In this study, a new type of mixed micelles was developed using Soluplus^® (SOL) and Pluronic^® P105 (P105) for the encapsulation of Oridonin (ORN). Oridonin-loaded micelles (ORN-M) were simply prepared using solvent evaporation and characterized for particle size, particle morphology, encapsulation efficiency, and drug loading. In addition, the in vitro drug release behavior of ORN-M was assessed using the widely applied dialysis bag technique. The pharmacokinetic property of ORN was explored in rats after oral administration of ORN-M. Optimized ORN-M were of a small size (137.2±1.65nm) and spherical shape when the ratio of SOL:P105 was 3:1, with entrapment efficiency 90.48±1.85% and drug loading 15.08±0.38%. Oral absorption capacity of ORN was greatly enhanced with a relative bioavailability of 210.55% in comparison to that of in-house suspensions, which suggests that ORN-M shows significantly improved bioavailability and drug absorption characteristics. Overall, the optimized SOL-P105 dual mixed micelles show great potential for use as oral drug carriers for cancer treatment.

Nanoemulsion delivery systems for oil-soluble vitamins: Influence of carrier oil type on lipid digestion and vitamin D3 bioaccessibility

The influence of carrier oil type on the bioaccessibility of vitamin D3 encapsulated within oil-in-water nanoemulsions prepared using a natural surfactant (quillaja saponin) was studied using a simulated gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model: mouth; stomach; small intestine. The rate of free fatty acid release during lipid digestion decreased in the following order: medium chain triglycerides (MCT) > corn oil ≈ fish oil > orange oil > mineral oil. Conversely, the measured bioaccessibility of vitamin D3 decreased in the following order: corn oil ≈ fish oil > orange oil > mineral oil > MCT. These results show that carrier oil type has a considerable impact on lipid digestion and vitamin bioaccessibility, which was attributed to differences in the release of bioactives from lipid droplets, and their solubilization in mixed micelles. Nanoemulsions prepared using long chain triglycerides (corn or fish oil) were most effective at increasing vitamin bioaccessibility.