Comparison of β-carotene loaded marine and egg phospholipids nanoliposomes

Effect of beta glucan coating on controlled release, bioaccessibility, and absorption of β-carotene from loaded liposomes

Recently, the use of biopolymers as coating material to stabilise phospholipid-based nanocarriers has increased. One such class of biopolymers is the dietary fibre beta-glucan (βG). In this study, we developed and characterized beta-carotene (βC) loaded βG coated nanoliposomes (GNLs) to investigate the effect of βG coating on the stability, controlled release, bioaccessibility, diffusion and subsequent absorption of the lipophilic active agent. The size, charge (Z-potential), and FTIR spectra were measured to determine the physicochemical stability of GNLs. βG coating reduced the bioaccessibility, provided prolonged release and improved the antioxidant activity of the nanoliposomes. Multiple particle tracking (MPT) data suggested that βC-GNLs were less diffusive in porcine intestinal mucus (PIM). Additionally, the microviscosity of the PIM treated with GNLs was observed to be higher (0.04744 ± 0.00865 Pa s) than the PIM incubated with uncoated NLs (0.015 ± 0.0004 Pa s). An Ex vivo experiment was performed on mouse jejunum to measure the absorption of beta-carotene from coated (βC-GNLs) and uncoated nanoliposomes (βC-NLs). Data showed that after 2 hours, 27.7 ± 1.3 ng mL-1 of βC encapsulated in GNLs and 61.54 ± 3 ng mL-1 of the βC encapsulated in uncoated NLs was absorbed by mouse intestinal mucosa. These results highlight that coating with βG stabilise NLs during gastrointestinal digestion and provides more sustained release of βC from nanoliposomes.

Advances in lipo-solubility delivery vehicles for curcumin: bioavailability, precise targeting, possibilities and challenges

BACKGROUND

Curcumin (Cur) is a natural pigment containing a diketone structure, which has attracted extensive attention due to its strong functional activities. However, the low solubility and poor stability of Cur limit its low bioavailability and multi-function. It is essential to develop effective measures to improve the unfavorable nature of Cur and maximize its potential benefits in nutritional intervention.

SCOPE AND APPROACH

The focus of this review is to emphasize the construction of lipo-solubility delivery vehicles for Cur, including emulsion, nanoliposome and solid liposome. In addition, the potential benefits of vehicles-encapsulated Cur in the field of precise nutrition were summarized, including high targeting properties and multiple disease interventions. Further, the deficiencies and prospects of Cur encapsulated in vehicles for precise nutrition were discussed.

KEY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

The well-designed lipo-solubility delivery vehicles for Cur can improve its stability in food processing and the digestion in vivo. To meet the nutritional requirements of special people for Cur-based products, the improvement of the bioavailability by using delivery vehicles will provide a theoretical basis for the precise nutrition of Cur in functional food.

Improving the Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability of Carotenoids by Means of Nanostructured Delivery Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Carotenoids are bioactive compounds provided by the diet playing a key role in maintaining human health. Therefore, they should be ingested daily in an adequate amount. However, even a varied and well-balanced diet does not guarantee an adequate intake, as both the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the compounds significantly affect their absorption. This review summarizes the main results achieved in improving the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids by means of nanostructured delivery systems, discussing in detail the available lipid-based and biopolymeric nanocarriers at present, with a focus on their formulation and functional efficiency. Although the toxicity profile of these innovative delivery systems is not fully understood, especially for long-term intake, these systems are an effective and valuable approach to increase the availability of compounds of nutritional interest.

Comparative bioactivity profile of phospholipids from three marine byproducts based on the zebrafish model

Phospholipids (PLs) are important components of physiological metabolism in animals and plants, and they have been widely used in clinical treatment, cosmetics, and industry. With the development of marine resources, marine PLs rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids have attracted increasing attention. As important marine resources, shrimp heads (SH), codfish roe (CR), and squid gonads (SG) contain a high PL content. The antithrombotic, antistroke, anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and cardioprotective activities of PLs from SH, CR, and SG were evaluated and compared using the in vivo zebrafish model. The results showed that the PL extracts of SH, CR, and SG had significant biological activities, which lays a theoretical foundation for the development and utilization of PLs in marine byproducts in the future, providing a new choice for the prevention of inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In this experiment, phospholipids in seafood from different sources were extracted, and their biological activities were comprehensively evaluated and compared using the zebrafish model to lay a foundation for the development of cardiovascular drugs, health food, special medicinal food, and other effective components. The utilization of marine byproducts not only makes full use of resources, but it also protects the environment.

Enhancing bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids using emulsion-based delivery systems

The consumption of foods rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals including carotenoids etc. can boost the immune system to help fight off various infections including SARS- CoV 2 and other viruses. Carotenoids have been gaining attention particularly in food and pharmaceutical industries owing to their diverse functions including their role as pro-vitamin A activity, potent antioxidant properties, and quenching of reactive oxygen (ROS), such as singlet oxygen and lipid peroxides within the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. Nevertheless, carotenoids being lipophilic, have poor solubility in aqueous medium and are also chemically instable. They are susceptible to degrade under stimuli environmental conditions during food processing, storage and gastrointestinal passage. They also exhibit poor oral bioavailability, thus, their applications in aqueous-based foods are limited. As a consequent, suitable delivery systems including colloids-based are needed to enhance the solubility, stability and bioavailability of carotenoids. This review presents challenges of incorporation and delivery of carotenoids focusing on stability and factors affecting bioavailability. Furthermore, designed factors impacting bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids using emulsion-based delivery systems are explicitly explained. Each delivery system exhibits its own advantages and disadvantages; thus, the delivery systems should be designed based on their targets and their further applications.

Recent Advances on Nanoparticle Based Strategies for Improving Carotenoid Stability and Biological Activity

Carotenoids are natural pigments widely used in food industries due to their health-promoting properties. However, the presence of long-chain conjugated double bonds are responsible for chemical instability, poor water solubility, low bioavailability and high susceptibility to oxidation. The application of a nanoencapsulation technique has thus become a vital means to enhance stability of carotenoids under physiological conditions due to their small particle size, high aqueous solubility and improved bioavailability. This review intends to overview the advances in preparation, characterization, biocompatibility and application of nanocarotenoids reported in research/review papers published in peer-reviewed journals over the last five years. More specifically, nanocarotenoids were prepared from both carotenoid extracts and standards by employing various preparation techniques to yield different nanostructures including nanoemulsions, nanoliposomes, polymeric/biopolymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid nanoparticles, supercritical fluid-based nanoparticles and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles. Stability studies involved evaluation of physical stability and/or chemical stability under different storage conditions and heating temperatures for varied lengths of time, while the release behavior and bioaccessibility were determined by various in vitro digestion and absorption models as well as bioavailability through elucidating pharmacokinetics in an animal model. Moreover, application of nanocarotenoids for various biological applications including antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, antiaging, cosmetics, diabetic wound healing and hepatic steatosis were summarized.

Critical Review of Lipid-Based Nanoparticles as Carriers of Neuroprotective Drugs and Extracts

The biggest obstacle to the treatment of diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS) is the passage of drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a physical barrier that regulates the entry of substances into the brain and ensures the homeostasis of the CNS. This review summarizes current research on lipid-based nanoparticles for the nanoencapsulation of neuroprotective compounds. A survey of studies on nanoemulsions (NEs), nanoliposomes/nanophytosomes and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs)/nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) was carried out and is discussed herein, with particular emphasis upon their unique characteristics, the most important parameters influencing the formulation of each one, and examples of neuroprotective compounds/extracts nanoencapsulated using these nanoparticles. Gastrointestinal absorption is also discussed, as it may pose some obstacles for the absorption of free and nanoencapsulated neuroprotective compounds into the bloodstream, consequently hampering drug concentration in the brain. The transport mechanisms through which compounds or nanoparticles may cross BBB into the brain parenchyma, and the potential to increase drug bioavailability, are also discussed. Additionally, factors contributing to BBB disruption and neurodegeneration are described. Finally, the advantages of, and obstacles to, conventional and unconventional routes of administration to deliver nanoencapsulated neuroprotective drugs to the brain are also discussed, taking into account the avoidance of first-pass metabolism, onset of action, ability to bypass the BBB and concentration of the drug in the brain.

The colorful world of carotenoids: a profound insight on therapeutics and recent trends in nano delivery systems

The therapeutic effects of carotenoids as dietary supplements to control or even treat some specific diseases including diabetic retinopathy, cardiovascular diseases, bacterial infections, as well as breast, prostate, and skin cancer are discussed in this review and also thoughts on future research for their widespread use are emphasized. From the stability standpoint, carotenoids have low bioavailability and bioaccessibility owing to their poor water solubility, deterioration in the presence of environmental stresses such as oxygen, light, and high heat as well as rapid degradation during digestion. Nanoencapsulation technologies as wall or encapsulation materials have been increasingly used for improving food product functionality. Nanoencapsulation is a versatile process employed for the protection, entrapment, and the delivery of food bioactive products including carotenoids from diverse environmental conditions for extended shelf lives and for providing controlled release. Therefore, we present here, recent (mostly during the last five years) nanoencapsulation methods of carotenoids with various nanocarriers. To us, this review can be considered as the first highlighting not only the potential therapeutic effects of carotenoids on various diseases but also their most effective nanodelivery systems.HighlightsBioactive compounds are of deep interest to improve food properties.Carotenoids (such as β-carotene and xanthophylls) play indispensable roles in maintaining human health and well-being.A substantial research effort has been carried out on developing beneficial nanodelivery systems for various carotenoids.Nanoencapsulation of carotenoids can enhance their functional properties.Stable nanoencapsulated carotenoids could be utilized in food products.