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This study explores the development and characterization of lyophilized chondroitin sulfate (CHON)-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) as an innovative platform for advanced drug delivery. Background/Objectives: Solid lipid nanoparticles are increasingly recognized for their biocompatibility, their ability to encapsulate diverse compounds, their capacity to enhance drug stability, their bioavailability, and their therapeutic efficacy. Methods: CHON, a naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan with anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, was integrated into SLN formulations using the hot microemulsion technique. Two formulations (SLN-1 and SLN-2) were produced and optimized by evaluating critical physicochemical properties such as particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (EE%), and stability. The lyophilization process, with the addition of various cryoprotectants, revealed trehalose to be the most effective agent in maintaining nanoparticle integrity and functional properties. Results: Morphological analyses using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed the dimensions of the nanoscales and their structural uniformity. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed minimal excipient interaction with CHON, ensuring formulation stability. Stability studies under different environmental conditions highlighted that SLN-2 is the most stable formulation, maintaining superior encapsulation efficiency (≥88%) and particle size consistency over time. Conclusions: These findings underscore the potential of CHON-loaded SLNs as promising candidates for targeted, sustained-release therapies in the treatment of inflammatory and degenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional oil is type of oil that is beneficial to human health and has nutritional value, however, functional oils are rich in bioactive substances such as polyunsaturated fatty acids which are sensitive to environmental factors and are susceptible to oxidation or decomposition. Construction of emulsion-based oil powder is a promising approach for improving the stability and solubility of functional oils. However, the low effective loading of oil in powder is the main challenge limiting encapsulation technology. This manuscript focuses on reviewing the current research progress of emulsion-based functional oil powder construction and systematically summarizes the processing characteristics of emulsion-based oil powder with high payload and summarizing the strategies to enhance the payload of powder in term of emulsification and drying, respectively. The impact of emulsion formation on oil powder production is discussed from different characteristics of emulsions, including emulsion composition, emulsification methods and emulsion types. In addition, the current status of improving material loading performance by various modifications to the drying technology is discussed, including the addition of drying processing additives, changes in drying parameters and the effect of innovative technological means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, metformin (Met) has shown to have antineoplastic properties in cancer treatment by improving hypoxic tumor conditions, and causing reduction in the synthesis of biomolecules, which are vital for cancer growth. However, as an orally administered drug, Met has low bioavailability and rapid renal clearance. Thus, the goal of this study was to vectorize Met inside liposomes in the context of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which currently lacks treatment options when compared to other types of breast cancer. Vectorization of Met inside liposomes was done using Bangham method by implementing double design of experiment methodology to increase Met drug loading (minimum-run resolution V characterization design and Box-Behnken design), as it is generally extremely low for hydrophilic molecules. Optimization of Met-loaded liposome synthesis was successfully achieved with drug loading of 190 mg/g (19% w/w). The optimal Met-liposomes were 170 nm in diameter with low PdI (< 0.1) and negative surface charge (-20 mV), exhibiting sustained Met release at pH 7.4. The liposomal Met delivery system was stable over several months, and successfully reduced TNBC cell proliferation due to the encapsulated drug. This study is one the first reports addressing liposome formulation through thin-film hydration using two design of experiment methods aiming to increase drug loading of Met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin is utilized extensively as Chinese medicine in Asia due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and inflammatory activities. However, its use has the challenges of low oral bioavailability and high heat sensitivity. The aim of this research was to produce flexible nano-liposomes containing curcumin using an innovative approach of ethanol injection and Tween 80 to enhance the stability and preservation of curcumin. The mean particle size, encapsulation efficiency, thermal degradation, storage stability, and curcumin release in flexible nano-liposomes were also investigated. We found that the mean particle size of curcumin-loaded flexible nano-liposome decreased from 278 nm to 27.6 nm. At the same time, the Tween 80 concentration increased from 0 to 0.15 wt%, which corresponded with the results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) morphology analyses, and particle size decreased with an enhancement in Tween 80 concentration. Further, pure curcumin was quickly released within one hour at 37 °C, and first-order kinetics matched with its release curve. However, curcumin encapsulated in flexible nano-liposomes showed a slow release of 71.24% within 12 h, and a slower release pattern matched with the Higuchi model over 24 h, ultimately reaching 84.63% release. Hence, flexible nano-liposomes of curcumin made by a combination of ethanol injection and Tween 80 addition prevented the thermal degradation of curcumin, and enhanced its storage stability and preservation for future drug delivery applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study examined the rheological and textural properties of gels produced through emulsion gelation using pea protein isolate (PPI). Emulsions were prepared with varying PPI concentrations (2%–10%) and 0.25 oil fraction, followed by heat treatment. Higher PPI concentrations improved encapsulation efficiency (EE), but heat slightly reduced it, though EE remained above 90%. Droplet size decreased with higher PPI. The emulsion was then gelled with different kappa‐carrageenan (KC) concentrations (1%–2%) and pH levels (4–7). Gel hardness increased with KC content, while adhesiveness decreased. Springiness, cohesiveness and water‐holding capacity (WHC) rose with pH and KC, while meltability decreased. Rheological tests showed stronger gels with higher KC and lower pH. Storage time generally increased gel strength, except at pH 4. This work highlights the interplay between PPI, KC, pH and storage time in shaping the properties of pea protein‐based emulsions and gels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of air inlet temperature at 155, 165 and 175 °C and whey protein isolate (WPI) of 15, 25 and 35% concentration on numerous parameters of ginger oleoresin powder produced by spray drying was examined in this research. Powder recovery increased dramatically from 23.35 to 68.43% and 53.66 to 64.27%, respectively, as WPI concentration increased from 15 to 35% and inlet temperature decreased from 155 to 175 °C. Increases in WPI concentration and inlet temperature enhanced dissolving time from 22.36 to 32.17 s and 19.54 to 24.24 s respectively. Water activity, encapsulation efficiency of ginger oleoresin microcapsules increased from 0.16 to 0.22, 75.28 to 82.43% respectively, while total phenolic content decreased from 27.13 to 19.04 (mg GAE/g) when WPI concentration increased. Lower encapsulation efficiency (78.66%) and higher total phenol content (23.57 mg GAE/g) were reported at higher inlet temperatures (175 °C). The encapsulated oleoresin samples also exhibited smaller-sized particles which were tightly packed at higher inlet temperatures. Micrographs of the powdered sample revealed smooth morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To improve the water solubility and stability of apigenin and promote its antioxidant biological activity, apigenin liposomes (AP-L) were developed and subsequently surface-modified with chitosan (CS). Methods: The appropriateness of two methods, low-speed centrifugation and membrane filtration, for measuring encapsulation efficiency was evaluated. Encapsulation efficiency served as the evaluation criterion to compare the AP-L preparation methods employing the film dispersion-ultrasound and ethanol injection-ultrasound techniques. Additionally, the preparation process underwent optimization via both single-factor experiments and response surface tests. Chitosan was adsorbed onto the surface of liposomes through electrostatic adsorption to produce chitosan apigenin liposomes (CS-AP-L). The appearance, microstructure, particle size and distribution, potential, encapsulation efficiency and stability of the liposomes were observed before and after chitosan modification. The antioxidant capacity of apigenin dispersion (AP-D), AP-L and CS-AP-L was investigated by DPPH and ABTS+ free radical scavenging assays. Results: The low-speed centrifugation method was found to be more precise in determining the entrapment efficiency of liposomes, while the membrane dispersion-ultrasonic method demonstrated higher encapsulation efficiency. The optimal preparation process for AP-L included 6 mg of apigenin, an apigenin to phospholipid ratio of 1:24, a phospholipid to cholesterol ratio of 6:1, 6.3 mL of ethanol, 20 mL of phosphate buffer solution (PBS), hydration temperature 50 ℃ and ultrasonic time 20 min. The particle size of AP-L was 157.34±1.87 nm, the polydispersity index (PDI) was 0.240±0.025, and the encapsulation efficiency was 66.50%±1.00%. The particle size of CS-AP-L increased to 564.22±39.7 nm, the PDI was 0.292±0.022, and the encapsulation efficiency decreased to 60.17%±1.97%. After being stored at room temperature for 30 days, the leakage rate of AP-L was 21.92%±4.84%, compared to 10.64%±0.28% for CS-AP-L. This indicated that CS-AP-L demonstrated superior stability. Furthermore, the DPPH and ABTS+ free radical scavenging experiment demonstrated that both AP-L and CS-AP-L could enhance the free radical scavenging capacity of apigenin, with CS-AP-L showing even greater scavenging capability. Conclusion: The CS-AP-L prepared in this study exhibits appropriate particle size, uniform distribution, high encapsulation efficiency, good stability, and the capability to enhance the antioxidant activities of apigenin, thereby offering valuable insights for the development of apigenin derivative products.

Vitamin E acetate (VEA) is commonly used in manufacturing pharmaceuticals, food additives, and animal feeds. However, VEA possesses disadvantages, including low water solubility, low bioavailability, and susceptibility to degradation and oxidation. This study investigated the use of cocoliposomes for encapsulating VEA (VEACL). The cocoliposomes consisted of coconut phospholipids (CocoPLs) and cholesterol (Chol). Several parameters, such as functional groups, transition temperature, encapsulation efficiency (EE), release profile, particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential, were analyzed to evaluate the impact of cholesterol inclusion on the cocoliposome membrane. The results show that the Fourier transform infrared spectra of VEACL do not exhibit any new, distinct peaks that differ from the peaks of its constituent composition. Therefore, it confirmed that no chemical reactions occurred during the manufacturing of VEACL. Cholesterol in the system raises the transition temperature of phospholipids and enhances the stability of VEACL. The EE remains above 80% despite a 20% increase in cholesterol levels. The release rate of VEA from cocoliposomes was slower with VEACL–20%Chol compared to VEACL–0%Chol. The cholesterol level leads to a decrease in particle size and an increase in the negative zeta potential of the cocoliposomes. Data show that cocoliposomes are effective carriers for VEA encapsulation.

In recent years, the use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for delivery of messenger RNA (mRNA)–based therapies has gained substantial attention in the field of drug development. In such an application, multiple LNP attributes have to be carefully characterized to ensure product safety and quality, whereas accurate and efficient characterization of these complex mRNA-LNP formulations remains a challenging endeavor. Here, we present the development and application of an online separation and characterization platform designed for the isolation and in-depth analysis of mRNAs and mRNA-loaded LNPs. Our asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation with a multi-detector (MD-AF4) method has demonstrated exceptional resolution between mRNA-LNPs and mRNAs, delivering excellent recoveries (over 70%) for both analytes and exceptional repeatability. Notably, this platform allows for comprehensive and multi-attribute LNP characterization, including online particle sizing, morphology characterization, and determination of encapsulation efficiency, all within a single injection. Furthermore, real-time online sizing by synchronizing multi-angle light scattering (MALS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) presented higher resolution over traditional batch-mode DLS, particularly in differentiating heterogeneous samples with a low abundance of large-sized particles. Additionally, our method proves to be a valuable tool for monitoring LNP stability under varying stress conditions. Our work introduces a robust and versatile analytical platform using MD-AF4 that not only efficiently provides multi-attribute characterizations of mRNA-LNPs but also holds promise in advancing studies related to formulation screening, quality control, and stability assessment in the evolving field of nanoparticle delivery systems for mRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizers that release nutrients slowly can provide crops with consistent nutrients, while soils with good water-holding capacity can alleviate the impact of droughts on crops. Sodium alginate/carboxymethyl starch sodium/polydopamine/urea (SCPU) is a new kind of slow-release fertilizer with water absorption property. In this study, the Box–Behnken response surface methodology (RSM) was used to reveal the effects of concentrations of sodium alginate, carboxymethyl starch sodium, urea, calcium chloride and dopamine on the encapsulation efficiency and water absorption of SCPU. The results show that the optimum preparation conditions to obtain the highest level of encapsulation efficiency (89.27%) and water absorption (167.05%) are 2.2% sodium alginate, 5% carboxymethyl starch sodium, 30% urea, 1.9% calcium chloride and 0.52% dopamine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spray drying is a well-established, energy efficient, and scalable process widely used in the food industry, however it may lead to thermal degradation of susceptible compounds, such as (poly)phenols, resulting in biological activity loss to some extent. In this study, we aimed to improve the physicochemical stability and bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols from Rosa pimpinellifolia fruit extract (Rosa extract) loaded in liposomes by generating solid particles via spray drying. Liposomes were conjugated with chitosan (Ch) and whey protein (Wp) to optimize the biopolymer concentrations by monitoring mean particle diameter, polydispersity index, and surface charge. The mean diameter of liposomes ranged between 135 and 210 nm upon optimal addition of Ch (0.4%, w/v) and Wp (4.0%, w/v) which also increased the entrapment efficiency of (poly)phenols from 74.2 to 77.8% and 79.1%, respectively. After spray drying, about 65–76% of the antioxidant capacity were retained in biopolymer-conjugated liposomes (Ch or Wp) while the retention rate was 48% in only spray-dried extract (Rosa extract powder). Compared to unencapsulated Rosa extract, spray drying (Rosa extract powder) and conjugation with Ch (Ch-Lip powder) or Wp (Wp-Lip powder) significantly increased the bioaccessibility of (poly)phenols and preserved their antioxidant capacity. Based on the findings of this study, Ch- or Wp-conjugation of liposomes prior to spray drying could improve physicochemical stability and protect (poly)phenols loaded in liposomes against processing stress and passage through the digestive tract. Further in vitro and in vivo investigations on a variety of bioactive compounds may draw more attention to their potential as functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to optimize a liposomal formulation to enhance the stability of a phenolic-rich extract from green walnut husk. Liposomes were prepared using varying concentrations of phosphatidylcholine (0.15–2% w/v), extract (0–1.3% v/v), and sodium laurate (0–0.2% w/v) via ethanol injection and sonication. Characterization included visual appearance, particle size, polydispersity index, surface charge, encapsulation efficiency, and morphology. Stable liposomes were achieved at 0.15% and 0.3% w/v phosphatidylcholine, although with low encapsulation efficiency (<40%). The addition of 0.2% (w/v) sodium laurate improved the stability, especially at higher phosphatidylcholine concentrations, enhancing the electrostatic repulsion. Optimal concentrations of 2% w/v phosphatidylcholine, 0.2% w/v sodium laurate, and 0.6% v/v extract were determined. The liposomes exhibited a spherical unilamellar morphology with a size of 97.5 ± 0.9 nm and a negative surface charge of –39.8 ± 0.9 mV. These nanoliposomes showed 79.7 ± 0.7% encapsulation efficiency and remained stable under pH, temperature, ionic strength, and storage time variations. Overall, the liposomes proved effective in preserving the natural phenolics of walnut husks under challenging environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work is devoted to the development of probiotic microencapsulation systems with the co-encapsulation of a plant extract, which can increase the survival of beneficial bacteria and are suitable for potential applications in the enrichment of fermented beverages based on acid whey. The encapsulation process exhibited a high level of effectiveness, achieving 83.0% for Bifidobacterium (BB), 89.2% for Stevia leaf extract (SE), and 91.3% for their combination (BB + SE). The FTIR analysis verified substantial interactions between the encapsulated agents and the polymer matrix, which enhanced the stability of the microcapsules. The BB + SE microcapsules exhibited reduced swelling and moisture content, indicating a denser structure compared to separately encapsulated BB and SE. Comparison of release kinetics of BB, SE and BB + SE loaded microcapsules showed that the combination of active agents has a quicker initial release, reaching 60% release within the first 2 h, and this value increased to 70% after 4 h. The release kinetics studies demonstrated a controlled release of active substances over 24 h. A morphology analysis shows that the surfaces of the dry microcapsules containing BB, SE, and their combination BB + SE have a porous structure. For encapsulated agents, the size of the capsules produced with BB and SE are smaller than those produced with two components (BB + SE), the sizes of which are between 760 µm and 1.1 mm. Modeling of the behavior of microcapsules in a simulated gastrointestinal tract provides information on swelling and active agents release rates as a function of pH in real biological environments. Thus, the new formulations of microcapsules with microorganisms and plant extracts have great potential for the development of fermented whey-based beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate the antioxidant activity of Chlorella peptide fractions coated with chitosan-modified nanoliposomes. Additionally, the release process of these peptide fractions under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions was evaluated. Protein hydrolysates were obtained from Chlorella through enzymatic hydrolysis, resulting in increased concentrations of antioxidant and hydrophobic amino acids. Peptide fractions were selected and separated based on their molecular weights, and it was observed that the fractions with lower molecular weights (less than 10 kDa, PF-10) contained higher amounts of hydrophobic and antioxidant amino acids. Among the fractions, PF-10 exhibited the highest radical inhibition activity for DPPH and ABTS, as well as enhanced reducing power and chelating activity towards copper ions. PF-10 and PF-30 (peptide fractions with a molecular weight less than 30 kDa) also demonstrated higher inhibition of nitric oxide radicals and total antioxidant activity (TAA) compared to the hydrolyzed form and other fractions. The analysis of physicochemical properties identified PF-10 as the most favorable treatment due to its size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency (EE). Coating the nanoliposomes with chitosan resulted in an increase in particle size and PDI but significantly improved the preservation of EE during storage. Chitosan coating also enhanced the activity of DPPH and OH radical scavenging. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the localization of peptides within the polar regions and the bilayer membrane of nanoliposomes, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed agglomerated and spherical structures. Overall, our findings highlight the effectiveness of nanoliposomes as carriers for delivering peptide fractions with high antioxidant activity. The formulation of chitosan-coated nanoliposomes as carriers for Chlorella-peptide fractions represents an innovative advancement, providing opportunities for the creation of functional and stable formulations. These formulations hold the potential to provide benefits regarding human health and environmental considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excessive use of biocides has considerable environmental and economic impacts; this is why new technologies have been sought to decrease the concentration levels applied in an effort to reduce the use of these substances. Microencapsulation using cyclodextrins has been widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as a way of reducing the concentrations of the active substance necessary to achieve a biological effect and/or eliminate its irritating or toxicological effects. In this study, the inclusion complexation behavior and binding ability of benzothiazolinone (BIT) with different β-cyclodextrins (β-CD, HP-β-CD, and Me-β-CD) was investigated. The intermolecular interactions were examined through UV and FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, 1D 1H NMR, and 2D ROESY. The highest stability constant was observed for the BIT/Me-β-CD inclusion complex (299.5 ± 2.9 M−1). Antibacterial activity was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and the results revealed that the BIT/Me-β-CD inclusion complex displays a higher antibacterial activity than BIT. The acute toxicity of the biocide and inclusion complex was also examined using the photobacterium Aliivibrio fischeri. Although BIT exhibited higher toxicity than the inclusion complex, further investigation is needed due to the quorum quenching effect of β-CDs. The data found suggest that BIT microencapsulation can increase its aqueous solubility and can be used as an effective tool to improve its chemical, biological, and ecotoxicological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionotropic gelation method is a process of forming gels or microcapsules from polymers such as alginate using divalent ions like calcium. The aim of this work was to study the effect of encapsulation conditions on phenolic compounds efficiency and the antioxidant activity of malabar nut (Justicia adhatoda L.) leaves using ionotropic gelation method. The parameters studied were sodium alginate concentration (1 to 4%), calcium chloride concentration (2 to 8%), extract/alginate solution ratio (0.1 to 0.6%), and gelation time (10 to 40 min). Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were assessed to determine the antioxidant compounds while ferric-reducing power and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) were used to evaluate the antioxidant activity. Experimental results showed that all encapsulation conditions had a significant effect ( p ˂ 0.05) on total phenolic content and antioxidant activities of the extract. The best conditions selected were 3% of sodium alginate, 6% of CaCl2, 0.1% of extract/alginate ratio and 10 min of gelation time with values of 94.04 ± 0.03% for TPC encapsulation efficiency, 98 ± 0.04% for TFC encapsulation efficiency, 217.52 ± 0.03 mg of AAE/100g for ferric reducing power (FRP), and 83.53 ± 0.37% for DPPH. Ferric-reducing power and free radical scavenging potential (DPPH) were found to be positively significantly correlated with phenolic and flavonoid content encapsulation efficiency under the influence of all encapsulation parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to compare two kinds of soluble dietary fibres in a mixture with OSA-starch as wall components of linseed oil capsules. Comparison was made based on emulsion (droplet size, polydispersity index, and viscosity) and powder properties (outer structure, colour, surface oil content, and encapsulation efficiency). Additionally, linseed oil powders were applied to the food model (apple juice) and the colour, physical stability, and volatile compound profile of fortified juice were determined. Although the obtained linseed oil emulsions with different compositions of polysaccharide components showed some variation in droplet size, polydisperse index and viscosity, their encapsulation efficiency by spray-drying was very high (>98%). The powders produced had a similar structure and low surface oil content, and their 2% addition to apple juice did not change its stability and only slightly decreased its colour lightness and yellowness. However, greater differences in the volatile compounds of obtained juices were observed. Overall, the added powders reduced the volatility of aroma compounds typical of apple juice but introduced propanal and hexanal, especially the powders with the highest OSA-starch share. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of different coating materials on the microencapsulation of hempseed oil by spray drying. For this purpose, hempseed oil emulsions were prepared with skimmed milk powder (SMP), maltodextrin (MD), and whey protein concentrate (WPC). The properties of these emulsions including rheological, zeta potential, and physicochemical properties were analyzed. Then, hempseed oil microcapsules were produced using spray drying. The effect of the different coating materials on spray-dried hempseed oil capsules was evaluated in terms of microencapsulation yield, surface oil, microencapsulation efficiency, oxidation stability, and physicochemical properties. The combinations of SMP (50.58%) or WPC (56.21%) with MD significantly enhanced the microencapsulation yield. The highest microencapsulation efficiency (92.16%) was obtained in the microcapsule with SMP: MD. This microcapsule with SMP: MD also showed higher oxidative stability compared to other microcapsules. Besides, this combination (SMP: MD) effectively protected the hempseed oil against oxidation during the Schaal oven test. Additionally, spray-dried hempseed oil microcapsules were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, and SEM. It was determined that using MD as a coating material improved the thermal stability of the microcapsules. As a result, it was concluded that the SMP: MD as a coating material was suitable for the microencapsulation of hempseed oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of probiotics in functional foods has gained significant interest due to their various beneficial effects to human when consumed in adequate amounts. However, the low survivability of probiotics subjected to adverse environmental conditions during processing, storage and gastrointestinal passage limited their commercial applications. Double emulsion microbial encapsulation is a promising approach to provide probiotic living cells with a full protection to resist adverse environmental conditions. Based on numerous cases of double emulsions applied for probiotic encapsulation, this report reviews various factors influencing the encapsulation yield and viability of probiotics, including emulsification methods, emulsifier selection, effect of probiotics, and modification of emulsification technique, also the targeted release mechanisms of these double emulsions triggered by various manners. This information can be useful to optimize the formulation and emulsification technique of double emulsion in order to improve the use efficacy and beneficial effects of probiotics in different commercial products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-based therapeutics, including siRNA, have obtained recognition in recent years due to their potential to treat various chronic and rare diseases. However, there are still limitations to lipid-based drug delivery systems in the clinical use of RNA therapeutics due to the need for optimization in the design and the preparation process. In this study, we propose adaptive focused ultrasound (AFU) as a drug loading technique to protect RNA from degradation by encapsulating small RNA in nanoliposomes, which we term nanoplexes. The AFU method is non-invasive and isothermal, as nanoplexes are produced without direct contact with any external materials while maintaining precise temperature control according to the desired settings. The controllability of sample treatments can be effectively modulated, allowing for a wide range of ultrasound intensities to be applied. Importantly, the absence of co-solvents in the process eliminates the need for additional substances, thereby minimizing the potential for cross-contaminations. Since AFU is a non-invasive method, the entire process can be conducted under sterile conditions. A minimal volume (300 μL) is required for this process, and the treatment is speedy (10 min in this study). Our in vitro experiments with silencer CD44 siRNA, which performs as a model therapeutic drug in different mammalian cell lines, showed encouraging results (knockdown > 80%). To quantify gene silencing efficacy, we employed quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Additionally, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were employed to capture images of nanoplexes. These images revealed the presence of individual nanoparticles measuring approximately 100–200 nm in contrast with the random distribution of clustered complexes observed in ultrasound-untreated samples of liposome nanoparticles and siRNA. AFU holds great potential as a standardized liposome processing and loading method because its process is fast, sterile, and does not require additional solvents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This work established an oxidised porous starch carrier system for the administration of caffeine by selectively oxidising the main hydroxyl groups at the C6 positions of porous starch to carboxyl groups using 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidoxyl (TEMPO) oxidation. The loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency of oxidised porous starch on caffeine rose as the oxidation degree (0%–90%) increased, increasing by 4.66 and 4.95 times, respectively, at 90% oxidation. The crystallinity of porous starch diminished after TEMPO oxidation, while the crystalline caffeine transferred into an amorphous state when loaded onto oxidised porous starch. Following oxidation, the absolute value of porous starch surface potential rose, enabling the granules avoided aggregation. Caffeine formed tighter bonds with oxidised porous starch in acidic conditions due to the dissociation of carboxyl groups, which lead to a peak loading capacity (8.02%) of oxidised porous starch with 90% oxidation at pH 4. Electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds were the driving forces. Long‐term gastrointestinal release of caffeine was achieved utilising oxidised porous starch as carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nano-structure Lipid Carriers (NLCs) are small spheres extending in scale from 10 to 1000 nanometres comprised of biocompatible and biodegradable lipids. These spheres can encapsulate both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs, preserving them from degradation and increasing their distribution to the intended place in the body. Imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, has been investigated in hamster model at 5-10 mg/kg for experimental leishmaniasis. The goal of this research is to develop Imipramine in a nano-structured lipid carrier formulation for targeting macrophage cells. Materials and Methods: Imipramine-loaded NLCs were created employing Glyceryl Monostearate (GMS) as the solid lipid constituent alongside oleic acid as the liquid lipid, while tween80 acted as the surfactant. The process of hot homogenization was employed to prepare the NLCs. The formulation was optimized using 2³ factorial designs using design expert software. The optimised formulation was further used for the preparation of mannose functionalized imipramine-loaded NLCs. Results: The IMP-NLC opt and M-NLC show a globule size of 348.5±0.81 nm and 459.4±0.28 nm with encapsulation efficiency of 61.6±0.326% and 64.48±0.408%, respectively. The drug release in vitro demonstrates a dual-phase pattern, featuring an early rapid sudden release followed by a gradual and slower release. The surface morphology, drug release kinetics and stability were also used to characterize the prepared NLCs. Conclusion: This study concludes that nanostructured lipid carriers demonstrate considerable encapsulation efficiency, release and stability for further pre-clinical investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple emulsions can dissolve some substances with different properties, such as hydrophilicity and lipophilicity, into different phases. They play an important role in protection, controlled release and targeted release of the encapsulated substances. However, it's poor stability has always been one of the main problems restricting its application in the food industry. For this reason, a heat-induced aggregate (HIA) of Maillard graft product of isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMO), as well as egg white protein (EWP), was used as hydrophilic emulsifier to improve the stability of W1/O/W2 emulsions. Moreover, gelatin was added into the internal aqueous phase (W1) to construct W1/O/W2 emulsion-gels system. The encapsulation efficiency of HIA-stabilized W1/O/W2 emulsions remained nearly unaltered, dropping by only 0.86%, significantly outperforming the conjugates and physical mixture of IMO and EWP in terms of encapsulation stability. The emulsion-gels system was constructed by adding 5% gelatin in the W1, and had the highest EE% and good salt and heat stability after 30 days of storage. This experiment provides guidance for improving the stability of W1/O/W2 emulsions system and its application in the package delivery of functional substances in the food field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to encapsulate carotenogenic extracts from Sporidiobolus salmonicolor yeast through freeze-drying and evaluate the stability during the storage and their potential application and in dairy product. An experimental design methodology was employed to assess the matrix effects of gum Arabic (GA) and maltodextrin (MD) composition on carotenoid encapsulation efficiency. The microparticles were characterized for yield, encapsulation efficiency, water activity, moisture, color parameters, and their application in natural yogurt. The extract carotenoid showed 5014.12 μg/L of total carotenoids, without toxicity and with antioxidant activity of 1.44 mM trolox/g. The maximum carotenoid encapsulation efficiency was 90%, achieved with MD and GA proportions of 5 and 30 g/L, respectively. Storage stability tests for the microcapsules revealed initial values of 0.097 for water activity and 1.05% for moisture. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated encapsulation efficiency, with carotenoids undergoing degradation at 408 °C. Storage in an amber bottle preserved 84% of the encapsulated material for 110 days. Applying concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% of encapsulated carotenoids in natural yogurt maintained the product's color (Chroma C*) for 22 days when stored at 4 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancement in encapsulating vegetable oil enriched with PUFA has become a new trend to improve stability, preservation, and food application. For microencapsulation of flaxseed oil, spray and freeze drying have been extensively used; however, in this study, ultrasonication along with microwave drying had a significant impact on the encapsulation efficiency (%) and dissolution time (min) of the powder. Analysis of experimental data revealed the optimized condition of microencapsulated flaxseed oil powder at 4.5 g maltodextrin/g of whey protein concentrate,.208 mL oil/g of wall material, and 14 min ultrasonication time. In addition, 6 min of microwave drying at 60 W provided 85.4% encapsulation efficiency, 1.98 meq/kg of oil peroxide value, 4.92 color difference, and 7.08 min dissolution time for the encapsulated powder. Storage studies for 21 days revealed that the peroxide value of raw oil increased by 13 times, whereas microencapsulated powder had only a twofold increase which demonstrated its higher stability when compared with bulk flaxseed oil. Practical applications: Flaxseed oil is rich in omega‐3 fatty acids, however has poor stability. Encapsulation of flaxseed oil will enhance stability, longer shelf life, and health benefits. Encapsulated oil can be used in dairy and bakery products to increase omega‐3 fatty acids intake and enhance the nutritional values of final products. The current work will recommend the food industries to prepare omega‐3 fatty acids‐rich foods by incorporating encapsulated flaxseed oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ilex paraguariensis, known as yerba-mate, is widely consumed as a hot or cold infusion in South America. Every year during the leaves harvesting, a rate of 5 tons/ha of branches is generated due to the tree trimming. The epidermis of these branches (IPC) is characterized by a high concentration of chlorogenic acids. Due to its promising high compound concentration, IPC extract is well-suited for various applications, and its preservation is particularly crucial, especially in bakery goods. This study aimed to optimize the spray-drying encapsulation of IPC extract to enhance the stability of chlorogenic acids for baked product applications. Through multivariate design, the optimal encapsulation conditions were determined, resulting in 75% encapsulation efficiency (%EE), 66.5% loading capacity (%LC), a 41 ºC increase in thermal stability, and particles with an average diameter of up to 5 µm. In sponge cakes formulated with encapsulated IPC extract (IPCE), an average of 94.4% of chlorogenic acids was preserved, compared to only 69.3% when free-IPC extract was used. Furthermore, the chlorogenic acids in IPCE exhibited excellent stability over 12 months when stored at 4ºC. Spray-drying encapsulation proved to be a rapid and effective process for the food industry, preserving chlorogenic acids for at least one year during storage under conditions that would naturally lead to degradation. These findings encourage the application of encapsulates to enhance the functionality of foods and add value to a naturally neglected commercial product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental Quality Management is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria is the property of Agrosavia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Granaticins are natural pigments derived from microorganisms with promising bioactivity. However, their practical applications have been restricted due to inherent instability. To improve the stability of granaticins from the novel strain Streptomyces vilmorinianum YP1, microcapsules were prepared using gum Arabic (GA) by a freeze-drying method. The optimal parameters for microencapsulation were determined using response surface methodology. Under the optimal conditions (GA 9.2% (v/v), a wall/−core ratio 4.8 (w/w), encapsulating temperature 29 °C), the maximum encapsulation efficiency achieved was 93.64%. The microcapsules were irregular single crystals with an average particle size of 206.37 ± 2.51 nm. Stability testing indicated improved stability of the microencapsulated granaticins. Notably, granaticnic B retention increased by 17.0% and 6.6% after exposure to sunlight and storage at 4 °C, respectively. These finding suggest that GA as a well material significantly enhances the stability of granaticins from S. vilmorinianum YP1, facilitating their potential applications.

Mixtures of maltodextrin (MD), egg yolk protein (EYP), Manchurian walnut protein isolate (MWPI) and soybean protein isolate (SPI) in different proportions were used as wall materials to prepare Manchurian walnut oil microcapsules by spray drying. The micromorphology, thermal stability, storage stability and antioxidant stability of microcapsules were analyzed. The results showed that the encapsulation efficiency of microcapsules prepared with MWPI was 73.68%, with an intact and dense structure, indicating that Manchurian walnut oil was successfully encapsulated in and protected by the microcapsules. The microcapsule powder had good flowability and solubility. The MWPI microcapsules lost only 5.48% of its initial mass under programmed heating conditions (10 ℃/min, up to 150 ℃), which was much lower than that of SPI microcapsules (10.3%), thereby being more able to meet the requirements of most thermally processed products. Microencapsulation obviously slowed down the oxidation rate of Manchurian walnut oil and improved its storage stability. The antioxidant experiments demonstrated that microencapsulation could effectively improve the antioxidant stability of active ingredients in Manchurian walnut oil. Therefore, this study demonstrated MWPI to be an excellent microcapsule wall material by evaluating its performance, which will expand the range of selection of protein-based wall materials, and provide a new idea for the application of walnut protein isolate resources to improve the added value of Manchurian walnut.

Soymilk is a natural nanocarrier. However, the performance of flavonoid-soymilk nano-complex remains unclear. In this work, icariin-soymilk nano-complexes (ISNCs) were successfully fabricated and characterized. The effects of high-pressure homogenization (HPH) treatment on structure and physicochemical properties of soymilk and nano-complexes were investigated. HPH treatment could significantly improve the surface hydrophobicity and interfacial activity of soymilk. The soymilk with HPH treatment could significantly improve the water solubility (20 folds), thermal stability and bioavailability of icariin. The highest encapsulation efficiency (93.28%), loading capacity (39.09 μg/mg), ζ-potentia (absolute value, 31.20 mV) and bioavailability (72.14%) were observed in HSI-200 (200 bar of homogenization pressure). While HSI-500 (500 bar of homogenization pressure) showed the smallest particle size (183.73 nm). ISNCs showed a rougher surface and an irregular lamellar structure with large amount of fi ne particles by using Cryo-SEM, suggesting that icariin was encapsulated in soymilk. These data supplied a novel strategy to improve the performance of icariin in functional foods.

Nanoemulsions are gaining interest in a variety of products as a means of integrating easily degradable bioactive compounds, preserving them from oxidation, and increasing their bioavailability. However, preparing stable emulsion compositions with the desired characteristics is a difficult task. The aim of this study was to encapsulate the Tinospora cordifolia aqueous extract (TCAE) into a water in oil (W/O) nanoemulsion and identify its critical process and formulation variables, like oil (27–29.4 mL), the surfactant concentration (0.6–3 mL), and sonication amplitude (40% to 100%), using response surface methodology (RSM). The responses of this formulation were studied with an analysis of the particle size (PS), free fatty acids (FFAs), and encapsulation efficiency (EE). In between, we have studied a fishbone diagram that was used to measure risk and preliminary research. The optimized condition for the formation of a stable nanoemulsion using quality by design was surfactant (2.43 mL), oil concentration (27.61 mL), and sonication amplitude (88.6%), providing a PS of 171.62 nm, FFA content of 0.86 meq/kg oil and viscosity of 0.597 Pa.s for the blank sample compared to the enriched TCAE nanoemulsion with a PS of 243.60 nm, FFA content of 0.27 meq/kg oil and viscosity of 0.22 Pa.s. The EE increases with increasing concentrations of TCAE, from 56.88% to 85.45%. The RSM response demonstrated that both composition variables had a considerable impact on the properties of the W/O nanoemulsion. Furthermore, after the storage time, the enriched TCAE nanoemulsion showed better stability over the blank nanoemulsion, specially the FFAs, and the blank increased from 0.142 to 1.22 meq/kg oil, while TCAE showed 0.266 to 0.82 meq/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]