Self-nanoemulsifying particles of coenzyme Q10 with improved nutraceutical potential

Enhancement of physicochemical and encapsulation stability of O1/W/O2 multiple nanoemulsions loaded with coenzyme Q10 or conjugated linoleic acid by incorporating polyphenolic extract

Multiple O1/W/O2 nanoemulsions and O1/W nanoemulsions fortified with CLA or CoQ10 were produced using extra virgin olive or olive pomace oil and were also incorporated with polyphenols extracted from olive kernel to enhance their kinetic and chemical stability. They were prepared using a high-speed ultrasonic homogenizer. Specifically, nanoemulsions with 6 wt% lipid phase and 6 wt% non-ionic emulsifier (Tween 40) were produced and they demonstrated a droplet diameter >200 nm and high encapsulation stability during 30 days of storage at 4 °C or 25 °C. The incorporation of CLA or CoQ10 and polyphenolic compounds facilitated the homogenization of emulsions, reducing the droplet size and enhancing their chemical stability, and their bioactive retention values were >79%. O1/W/O2 nanoemulsions were produced using a mixture of non-ionic emulsifiers (Span 20 and Tween 40) and the O1/W enriched nanoemulsion as the dispersed phase. All multiple emulsions showed a bimodal droplet size distribution and Newtonian behavior while polyphenols facilitated their homogenization. Both vegetable oils resulted in samples with high kinetic and chemical stability; the bioactive retention values were found to be >80% at the end of 30 days of storage at 4 °C or 25 °C. Extra virgin olive oil resulted in more stable nanoemulsions in regards to kinetic and chemical stability at 4 °C, showing limited creaming and sedimentation boundary. Multiple nanoemulsions with the lowest initial droplet size presented the lowest droplet diameter growth and phase separation and the highest retention values. By comparing O1/W nanoemulsions and O1/W/O2 nanoemulsions, we noted that the reduction in the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity during storage was higher in the O1/W type. However, both delivery systems protected CLA and CoQ10 presenting high retention during storage. FTIR spectra before and after ultrasonic homogenization indicated that the sonication process did not significantly affect the lipid phase of O1/W/O2 nanoemulsions.

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

Aqueous coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) dispersions were prepared using sugary maize dendrimer-like glucan (SMDG) with solid-dispersion treatment. After measuring solubility, recovery rate and loading rate, the initial weight ratio of CoQ10:SMDG was optimized to be 1:27, with the solubility markedly increasing up 188.8-folds compared to pure CoQ10 solution. The structural characterizations of CoQ10-SMDG formulation showed crystal CoQ10 was entrapped in SMDG matrix for amorphous state, associated with the strong interactions with glucan chains. The antioxidant activity of CoQ10-SMDG was assessed via DPPH and FRAP assay. DPPH scavenging activity and FRAP value of it were as high as 95.1% and 0.87 mM, respectively. The cellular uptake of CoQ10 in CoQ10-SMDG group was significantly higher than that of natural CoQ10. CoQ10-SMDG also exhibited significant protective effects against cellular damage in H₂O₂-induced HaCaT cell model. The results indicated that dendrimer-like glucan is an excellent platform to encapsulate and improve biological activity of hydropholic compounds.

Supersaturable Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System of Krill Oil with Improved Oral Absorption and Hypotriglyceridemic Function

This study aimed to develop a supersaturable self-emulsifying drug delivery system (S-SEDDS) of krill oil (KO), a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), to improve its hypotriglyceridemic function. S-SEDDS of KO (KO/S-SEDDS) was prepared by the addition of lysolecithin, glycerin, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Self-emulsifying drug delivery system of KO (KO/SEDDS) and KO with HPMC (KO/HPMC) were also prepared for comparison purposes. The physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of KO samples were characterized, and the hypotriglyceridemic function of KO/S-SEDDS was evaluated. Micronized droplets in KO/SEDDS and KO/S-SEDDS with a mean diameter of ca. 270 nm could be observed in comparison to KO and KO/HPMC. Both KO/HPMC and KO/S-SEDDS tended to enhance the dissolution behavior of KO, and the S-SEDDS formulation improved the dissolution behavior of KO as a result of micronized droplets and the addition of HPMC. KO/S-SEDDS (60 mg of EPA/kg) improved the oral absorption of KO based on the pharmacokinetic profiling of EPA, and repeated oral administration of KO/S-SEDDS (250 mg of KO kg^-1 day^-1) for 7 days had a potent hypotriglyceridemic effect on rats with corn-oil-induced hypertriglyceridemia compared to orally administered KO. On the basis of these findings, the S-SEDDS approach might be an efficacious dosage option to enhance the nutraceutical properties of KO.