Dendrimer-like glucan nanoparticulate system improves the solubility and cellular antioxidant activity of coenzyme Q10

Characterization and functional properties of walnut protein fibrils for enhanced bioaccessibility of CoQ10 and ALA

Emulsion-based delivery systems have garnered significant attention in terms of encapsulation and delivery of the hydrophobic bioactive compounds in recent years. This study investigated the formation of walnut protein fibrils (WPF) through acid-heat treatment for varying durations. Emulsions stabilized by WPF were prepared for the codelivery of CoQ10 and ALA. The emulsifying properties and interfacial distribution characteristics of WPF were compared and the differences in the stability of the emulsions were studied. Prolonged treatment duration resulted in secondary structural alterations, including an increase in β-sheet content (from 39.42 % to 45.87 %). Fibrillation increased protein interfacial adsorption, leading to WPF stabilized emulsions with better storage stability, resilience to environmental stress fluctuations and oxidative stability. In summary, compared to unmodified walnut protein, WPF10 stabilized emulsion already significantly enhanced the bioaccessibility of CoQ10 and ALA. The potential delivery system may facilitate the incorporation of hydrophobic active substances and functional fatty acids into beverage products.

Physicochemical Properties, Antioxidant Capacity and Bioavailability of Whey Protein Concentrate-Based Coenzyme Q10 Nanoparticles

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a powerful antioxidant. However, the poor water solubility and low bioavailability still remain challenges for its application. An embedded delivery system of CoQ10 based on whey protein concentrate (WPC) and polymerized whey protein concentrate (PWPC) was prepared, and the physicochemical properties, antioxidant capacity and bioavailability were characterized in this study. Both groups of nanoparticles showed a particle size distribution from 241 to 331 nm in the protein-to-CoQ10 mass ratio range of 100:1 to 20:1. In addition, the minimum polydispersity index value was observed at the mass ratio of 20:1. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectra analysis revealed that the CoQ10 was successfully dispersed in the WPC and PWPC particles through hydrophobic interaction in both groups in addition to the hydrogen bond present in the WPC group. All nanoparticles exhibited irregular spherical or aggregate structure in the transmission electron microscopy diagram. The PWPC-based nanoparticles showed a slightly higher antioxidant capacity than that of the WPC, and both values were significantly higher than that of its corresponding physical mixture and free CoQ10 (p < 0.05). The results of the simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiments denoted that these two nanoparticles could protect CoQ10 from gastric digestion and then deliver it to the intestine. Compared with its free state, the bioavailability of CoQ10 embedded in WPC and PWPC increased by nearly 7.58 times and 7.48 times, respectively. The data indicated that WPC and PWPC could be effective delivery carriers to enhance the bioavailability of active substances like CoQ10.

Chrysin loaded polycaprolactone-chitosan electrospun nanofibers as potential antimicrobial wound dressing

In this study, various concentrations of chrysin (chry) were loaded into polycaprolactone-chitosan (PCL-CTS) nanofibers to develop a potential wound dressing materials using electrospinning method. The structural composition and the morphology of the produced PCL-CTS5, PCL-CTS10 and PCL-CTS15 were analyzed by FE-SEM and FTIR, respectively. By increasing the amount of chry, the average diameter of the nanofibres was also increased to 191 ± 65 nm, 203 ± 72 nm, and 313 ± 69 nm for PCL-CTS5, PCL-CTS10, and PCL-CTS15, respectively. Moreover, the physicochemical characteristics and biological properties of synthesized nanofibers such as tensile testing, in-vitro drug release, porosity, decomposition rate, water absorption rate, water vapor permeability rate, cell viability, antioxidant and antibacterial activity were evaluated. By using Korsmeyer-Peppas and Higuchi kinetic models, the chry release mechanism in all nanofibers was studied in PBS solution, which suggested a Fick's diffusion. In-vitro antioxidant experiments by DPPH assay indicated 24, 43, 61 and 78 % free radical scavenging activity for PCL-CTS, PCL-CTS5, PCL-CTS10 and PCL-CTS15. In-vitro antibacterial examination showed that chry-loaded nanofibers had high antibacterial activity in which were comparable with the standard reagents. In-vitro cytotoxicity results obtained by MTT assay indicated a desired cytocompatibility towards fibroblast cells.

Navigating the Solution to Drug Formulation Problems at Research and Development Stages by Amorphous Solid Dispersion Technology

Amorphous Solid Dispersions (ASDs) have indeed revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in drug solubility enhancement. The amorphous state of a drug, which is a highenergy metastable state, can lead to an increase in the apparent solubility of the drug. This is due to the absence of a long-range molecular order, which results in higher molecular mobility and free volume, and consequently, higher solubility. The success of ASD preparation depends on the selection of appropriate excipients, particularly polymers that play a crucial role in drug solubility and physical stability. However, ASDs face challenges due to their thermodynamic instability or tendency to recrystallize. Measuring the crystallinity of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and drug solubility is a complex process that requires a thorough understanding of drug-polymer miscibility and molecular interactions. Therefore, it is important to monitor drug solids closely during preparation, storage, and application. Techniques such as solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and dielectric spectroscopy have been successful in understanding the mechanism of drug crystallization. In addition, the continuous downstream processing of drug-loaded ASDs has introduced new automated methods for consistent ASD production. Advanced techniques such as hot melt extrusion, KinetiSol, electro spraying, and electrospinning have gained popularity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of Amorphous Solid Dispersions (ASDs) for oral drug delivery. It highlights the critical challenges faced during formulation, the impact of manufacturing variables, theoretical aspects of drug-polymer interaction, and factors related to drug-polymer miscibility. ASDs have been recognized as a promising strategy to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, the successful development of an ASD-based drug product is not straightforward due to the complexity of the ASD systems. The formulation and process parameters can significantly influence the performance of the final product. Understanding the interactions between the drug and polymer in ASDs is crucial for predicting their stability and performance.

Advanced dendritic glucan-derived biomaterials: From molecular structure to versatile applications

There is considerable interest in the development of advanced biomaterials with improved or novel functionality for diversified applications. Dendritic glucans, such as phytoglycogen and glycogen, are abundant biomaterials with highly branched three-dimensional globular architectures, which endow them with unique structural and functional attributes, including small size, large specific surface area, high water solubility, low viscosity, high water retention, and the availability of numerous modifiable surface groups. Dendritic glucans can be synthesized by in vivo biocatalysis reactions using glucosyl-1-phosphate as a substrate, which can be obtained from plant, animal, or microbial sources. They can also be synthesized by in vitro methods using sucrose or starch as a substrate, which may be more suitable for large-scale industrial production. The large numbers of hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of dendritic glucan provide a platform for diverse derivatizations, including nonreducing end, hydroxyl functionalization, molecular degradation, and conjugation modifications. Due to their unique physicochemical and functional attributes, dendritic glucans have been widely applied in the food, pharmaceutical, biomedical, cosmetic, and chemical industries. For instance, they have been used as delivery systems, adsorbents, tissue engineering scaffolds, biosensors, and bioelectronic components. This article reviews progress in the design, synthesis, and application of dendritic glucans over the past several decades.

Molecular structure and characteristics of phytoglycogen, glycogen and amylopectin subjected to mild acid hydrolysis

The structure and properties of phytoglycogen and glycogen subjected to acid hydrolysis was investigated using amylopectin as a reference. The degradation took place in two stages and the degree of hydrolysis was in the following order: amylopectin > phytoglycogen > glycogen. Upon acid hydrolysis, the molar mass distribution of phytoglycogen or glycogen gradually shifted to the smaller and broadening distribution region, whereas the distribution of amyopectin changed from bimodal to monomodal shape. The kinetic rate constant for depolymerization of phytoglycogen, amylopectin, and glycogen were 3.45 × 10-5/s, 6.13 × 10-5/s, and 0.96 × 10-5/s, respectively. The acid-treated sample had the smaller particle radius, lower percentage of α-1,6 linkage as well as higher rapidly digestible starch fractions. The depolymerization models were built to interpret the structural differences of glucose polymer during acid treatment, which would provide guideline to improve the structure understanding and precise application of branched glucan with desired properties.

Comparative study of encapsulated cannabidiol ternary solid dispersions prepared by different techniques: The application of a novel technique jet milling

Jet milling is a common technique in ultrafine powder preparation field. It has never been used to design delivery systems. Cannabidiol (CBD) is an important cannabinoid of hemp but poor aqueous solubility limited its applications. In this study, solid dispersion (SD) technique was combined with cyclodextrin complexation technique, and jet milling was used for the first time to prepare SDs for improving CBD solubility. Different characterizations demonstrated that the dispersion effect and complexation structure of CBD SD3 prepared by jet milling were comparable to that of CBD SD2 prepared by spray drying (a common solution-based method), and were better than that of CBD SD1 prepared by cogrinding. The water solubility of CBD was increased to 20.902 μg/mL (909-fold) in CBD SD3. Besides, the antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity to tumor cells of CBD were enhanced by dispersion. This work indicated that jet milling, as a new technique with low cost and excellent applicability, could be further developed for the delivery of food functional factors or bioactive molecules.

Fabrication of phytoglycogen-derived core-shell nanoparticles: Structure and characterizations

The objective of this work was to investigate the fabrication of core-shell nanoparticles using phosphorylase-catalyzed chain extension of phytoglycogen, and to analyze the changes of structure and characterizations in detail. During the glucosylation reaction, the inorganic phosphate increased substantially up to 2.3 mg/mL in the initial 12 h, and then increased incrementally to 2.5 mg/mL at 24 h. The similar to trends was observed for increasing Mw and Rz over time, due to glucosyl transfers on the surface chain to form a corona around the phytoglycogen core with a larger size. Phosphorylase modification increases the percentages of longer chain fractions and the average chain length increased from degree of polymerization (DP) 11.6 to DP 48.2. The modified phytoglycogen exhibited the characteristic of B-type crystalline structure, indicating that the specific core-shell nanoparticle with inner amorphous nature and outer crystalline layer. The above results revealed that the potentiality of enzymatic chain elongation of phytoglycogen to design novel core-shell nanoparticle with tailor-made structure and functionality.

Synthesis and Activity of Ionic Antioxidant-Functionalized PAMAMs and PPIs Dendrimers

For this study, new dendrimers were prepared from poly(propylene imine) (PPI) and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers using an efficient acid-base reaction with various phenolic acids. The syntheses were also optimized in both microwave and microfluidic reactors. These ionic and hydrophilic dendrimers were fully characterized and showed excellent antioxidant properties. Their cytotoxic properties have been also determined in the case of fibroblast dermal cells.

Development of dendrimer-like glucan-stabilized Pickering emulsions incorporated with β-carotene

The impact of sugary maize dendrimer-like glucan octenyl succinate (OSA-SMDG) on the storage stability and antioxidant activity of β-carotene (BC)-loaded emulsions as well as bioaccessibility were investigated. The encapsulation efficiency of β-carotene in emulsions containing 3% OSA-SMDG (3OSA-SMDG-BC) or 5% OSA-SMDG (5OSA-SMDG-BC) was 89.6% and 94.9%, respectively. The antioxidant activity of both emulsions was higher than that of pure β-carotene. During simulated digestion, the particle size of emulsions was immediately reduced, whereas zeta-potential was continuously increased in intestinal digestion. After 2 h digestion, the free fatty acids (FFA) release rate of 3OSA-SMDG-BC and 5OSA-SMDG-BC was significantly higher than that of blank emulsion. Bioaccessibility of β-carotene encapsulated in 3OSA-SMDG-BC and 5OSA-SMDG-BC was also significantly higher than that of blank emulsion. FFA release rate and β-carotene bioaccessibility of 5OSA-SMDG-BC were higher than that of 3OSA-SMDG-BC. These results demonstrated that OSA-SMDG could be used to fabricate food-grade O/W Pickering emulsion as a delivery system for bioactive compounds.