Amazonia Products in Novel Lipid Nanoparticles for Fucoxanthin Encapsulation

Bile acid/fatty acid integrated nanoemulsomes for nonalcoholic fatty liver targeted lovastatin delivery: stability, in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-vivo analyses

BACKGROUND

Controlled and targeted drug delivery to treat nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can benefit from additive attributes of natural formulation ingredients incorporated into the drug delivery vehicles.

METHODS

Lovastatin (LVN) loaded, bile acid (BA) and fatty acid (FA) integrated nanoemulsomes (NES) were formulated by thin layer hydration technique for synergistic and targeted delivery of LVN to treat NAFLD. Organic phase NES was comprised of stearic acid with garlic (GL) and ginger (GR) oils, separately. Ursodeoxycholic acid and linoleic acid were individually incorporated as targeting moieties.

RESULTS

Stability studies over 90 days showed average NES particle size, surface charge, polydispersity index, and entrapment efficiency values of 270 ± 27.4 nm, -23.8 ± 3.5 mV, 0.2 ± 0.04 and 81.36 ± 3.4%, respectively. Spherical NES were observed under a transmission electron microscope. In-vitro LVN release depicted non-fickian release mechanisms from GL and GR oils-based NES. Ex-vivo permeation of BA/FA integrated NES through isolated rat intestines showed greater flux than non-integrated ones.

CONCLUSION

Liver histopathology of experimental rats together with in-vivo lipid profiles and liver function tests illustrated that these NES possess the clinical potential to be promising drug carriers for NAFLD.

Tissue Regeneration and Remodeling in Rat Models after Application of Hypericum perforatum L. Extract-Loaded Bigels

The wound-healing effect of St. John's Wort (SJW) is mainly attributed to hyperforin (HP), but its low stability restricts its topical administration. This study investigates how "free" HP-rich SJW extract (incorporated into a bigel; B/SJW) and extract "protected" by nanostructured lipid carriers (also included in a biphasic semisolid; B/NLC-SJW) affect tissue regeneration in a rat skin excision wound model. Wound diameter, histological changes, and tissue gene expression levels of fibronectin (Fn), matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were employed to quantify the healing progress. A significant wound size reduction was achieved after applying both extract-containing semisolids, but after a 21-day application period, the smallest wound size was observed in the B/NLC-SJW-treated animals. However, the inflammatory response was affected more favorably by the bigel containing the "free" SJW extract, as evidenced by histological studies. Moreover, after the application of B/SJW, the expression of Fn, MMP8, and TNF-α was significantly higher than in the positive control. In conclusion, both bigel formulations exhibited beneficial effects on wound healing in rat skin, but B/SJW affected skin restoration processes in a comprehensive and more efficient way.

Stability and biological activity enhancement of fucoxanthin through encapsulation in alginate/chitosan nanoparticles

A response surface methodology based on the Box-Behnken design was employed to develop fucoxanthin (FX) delivery nanocarrier from alginate (ALG) and chitosan (CS). The FX-loaded ALG/CS nanoparticles (FX-ALG/CS-NPs) were fabricated using oil-in-water emulsification and ionic gelation. The optimal formulation consisted of an ALG:CS mass ratio of 0.015:1, 0.71 % w/v Tween™ 80, and 5 mg/mL FX concentrations. The resulting FX-ALG/CS-NPs had a size of 227 ± 23 nm, a zeta potential of 35.3 ± 1.7 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 81.2 ± 2.8 %. These nanoparticles exhibited enhanced stability under simulated environmental conditions and controlled FX release in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. Furthermore, FX-ALG/CS-NPs showed increased in vitro oral bioaccessibility, gastrointestinal stability, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory effect, and cytotoxicity against various cancer cells. The findings suggest that ALG/CS-NPs are effective nanocarriers for the delivery of FX in nutraceuticals, functional foods, and pharmaceuticals.

In vivo anti-obesity efficacy of fucoxanthin/HP-β-CD nanofibers in high-fat diet induced obese mice

Fucoxanthin (Fx) has poor water solubility and bioavailability, which limits its application in the food industry. To improve the physicochemical properties of Fx, hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) encapsulated Fx nanofibers (Fx/HP-β-CD nanofibers) were fabricated via electrospinning without using polymer. Molecular docking analysis showed the Fx/HP-β-CD nanofibers contained Fx and HP-β-CD at 1:2. Morphological analysis revealed the nanofibers were homogeneous without beads, having a diameter around 499 nm. The thermostability of Fx was significantly improved after encapsulationg by HP-β-CD. Animal studies showed that there was a 14% decrease of body weight, 11% white adipose tissue reduction and 9% lower of liver triglyceride for the mice treated with Fx/HP-β-CD nanofibers as compared with that of Fx treated mice. The total cholesterol was reduced by 23% in mice serum after treatment with Fx/HP-β-CD as compared with that of Fx. Interestingly, the Fx/HP-β-CD in this study could attenuate the testicular histopathology in obese mice.

Fucoxanthin from Algae to Human, an Extraordinary Bioresource: Insights and Advances in up and Downstream Processes

Fucoxanthin is a brown-colored pigment from algae, with great potential as a bioactive molecule due to its numerous properties. This review aims to present current knowledge on this high added-value pigment. An accurate analysis of the biological function of fucoxanthin explains its wide photon absorption capacities in golden-brown algae. The specific chemical structure of this pigment also leads to many functional activities in human health. They are outlined in this work and are supported by the latest studies in the literature. The scientific and industrial interest in fucoxanthin is correlated with great improvements in the development of algae cultures and downstream processes. The best fucoxanthin producing algae and their associated culture parameters are described. The light intensity is a major influencing factor, as it has to enable both a high biomass growth and a high fucoxanthin content. This review also insists on the most eco-friendly and innovative extraction methods and their perspective within the next years. The use of bio-based solvents, aqueous two-phase systems and the centrifugal partition chromatography are the most promising processes. The analysis of the global market and multiple applications of fucoxanthin revealed that Asian companies are major actors in the market with macroalgae. In addition, fucoxanthin from microalgae are currently produced in Israel and France, and are mostly authorized in the USA.

Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for the Formulation of Topical Anti-Inflammatory Nanomedicines Based on Natural Substances

The main function of the skin is to protect the body from the external environment. However, the skin can undergo inflammatory processes, due to genetic, hormonal, or environmental factors. When the defense system is overloaded, there is an increase in pro-inflammatory mediators and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which results in skin disorders. Among the substances used to treat these inflammatory processes, many natural substances with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are being studied: nature is yet an abundant source to obtain diverse pharmacological actives. The treatment of skin diseases is usually focused on topical application, as it reduces the risk of systemic side effects and prevents drug degradation by first-pass metabolism. Thus, the properties of drug delivery vehicles can facilitate or inhibit its permeation. Due to the hydrophobic nature of the skin, a promising strategy to improve dermal drug penetration is the use of lipid-based nanoparticles, such as nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC). Therefore, in this review, we present NLC as a tool to improve dermal administration of natural substances with anti-inflammatory properties.

An Overview on Topical Administration of Carotenoids and Coenzyme Q10 Loaded in Lipid Nanoparticles

Carotenoids and coenzyme Q10 are naturally occurring antioxidant compounds that are also found in human skin. These bioactive compounds have been the focus of considerable research due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and photoprotective properties. In this review, the current state of the art in the encapsulation of carotenoids and coenzyme Q10 in lipid nanoparticles to improve their bioavailability, chemical stability, and skin absorption is discussed. Additionally, the main findings are highlighted on the cytotoxic and photoprotective effects of these systems in the skin.