A Review of Biopolymers' Utility as Emulsion Stabilizers

A Review of Recent Developments in Biopolymer Nano-Based Drug Delivery Systems with Antioxidative Properties: Insights into the Last Five Years

In recent years, biopolymer-based nano-drug delivery systems with antioxidative properties have gained significant attention in the field of pharmaceutical research. These systems offer promising strategies for targeted and controlled drug delivery while also providing antioxidant effects that can mitigate oxidative stress-related diseases. Generally, the healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, necessitating the continual development of innovative therapeutic approaches and drug delivery systems (DDSs). DDSs play a pivotal role in enhancing treatment efficacy, minimizing adverse effects, and optimizing patient compliance. Among these, nanotechnology-driven delivery approaches have garnered significant attention due to their unique properties, such as improved solubility, controlled release, and targeted delivery. Nanomaterials, including nanoparticles, nanocapsules, nanotubes, etc., offer versatile platforms for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Additionally, biopolymer-based DDSs hold immense promise, leveraging natural or synthetic biopolymers to encapsulate drugs and enable targeted and controlled release. These systems offer numerous advantages, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, and low immunogenicity. The utilization of polysaccharides, polynucleotides, proteins, and polyesters as biopolymer matrices further enhances the versatility and applicability of DDSs. Moreover, substances with antioxidative properties have emerged as key players in combating oxidative stress-related diseases, offering protection against cellular damage and chronic illnesses. The development of biopolymer-based nanoformulations with antioxidative properties represents a burgeoning research area, with a substantial increase in publications in recent years. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent developments within this area over the past five years. It discusses various biopolymer materials, fabrication techniques, stabilizers, factors influencing degradation, and drug release. Additionally, it highlights emerging trends, challenges, and prospects in this rapidly evolving field.

Developmental Formulation Principles of Food Preservatives by Nanoencapsulation-Fundamentals, Application, and Challenges

The role of food additives is to preserve food by extending shelf life and limiting harmful microorganism proliferation. They prevent spoilage by enhancing the taste and safety of food by utilizing beneficial microorganisms and their antimicrobial metabolites. Current advances in food preservation and processing utilize green technology principles for green preservative formulation, enhancing nutrition and supplying essential micronutrients safely, while also improving quality, packaging, and food safety. Encapsulation is gaining attention for its potential to protect delicate materials from oxidative degradation and extend their shelf life, thereby ensuring optimal nutrient uptake. Nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds has significantly improved the food, pharmaceutical, agriculture, and nutraceutical industries by protecting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids by controlling release and ensuring delivery to specific sites in the human body. This emerging area is crucial for future industrial production, improving the sensory properties of foods like color, taste, and texture. Research on encapsulated bioactive compounds like bacteriocins, LAB, natamycin, polylysine, and bacteriophage is crucial for their potential antioxidant and antimicrobial activities in food applications and the food industry. This paper reviews nanomaterials used as food antimicrobial carriers, including nanoemulsions, nanoliposomes, nanoparticles, and nanofibers, to protect natural food antimicrobials from degradation and improve antimicrobial activity. This review discusses nanoencapsulation techniques for biopreservative agents like nisin, poly lysine, and natamycin, focusing on biologically-derived polymeric nanofibers, nanocarriers, nanoliposomes, and polymer-stabilized metallic nanoparticles. Nanomaterials, in general, improve the dispersibility, stability, and availability of bioactive substances, and this study discusses the controlled release of nanoencapsulated biopreservative agents.

Pea protein [Pisum sativum] as stabilizer for oil/water emulsions

A map of stability for various water/oil/pea protein compositions has been plotted from the numerous reported results. Two clear regions of stability were identified. High internal oil phase emulsions with 70-80%, v/v oil content stabilized by total pea protein concentration <2.5%, w/v showed stability. Low oil content of 10-30%, v/v for a range of total pea protein concentrations >0.5%, w/v have also been identified as stable. Intermediate oil content and pea protein concentrations >4% w/v are unexplored regions and are likely to be areas of fruitful future research. The wide range of stability suggests that different stabilization mechanisms could be important for different compositions and careful consideration has to be taken to avoid oversimplification. Both stabilization with particles, i.e. Pickering emulsions, and protein unfolding have been suggested as mechanisms. The diverse way of describing stability makes it difficult to intercompare results in different studies. A summary of different oil types used have been presented and several properties such as dynamic viscosity, density, the dielectric constant and interfacial tension have been summarized for common vegetable oils. The type of vegetable oil and emulsion preparation techniques were seen to have rather little effect on emulsion stability. However, the different extraction methods and processing of the pea material had more effect, which could be attributed to changing composition of different proteins and to the states of aggregation and denaturing. Careful consideration has to be taken in the choice of extraction method and an increased understanding of what contributes to the stability is desirable for further progress in research and eventual product formulation.

Strategies for modulating the lipid digestion of emulsions in the gastrointestinal tract

The structural changes in emulsion products can be used to control the bioavailability of fatty acids and lipophilic compounds. After ingestion, lipid droplets undergo breakdown and structural changes as they pass through the gastrointestinal tract. The oil-water interface plays a critical role in modulating the digestive behavior of lipid droplets because changes in the interfacial layer control the adsorption of lipase and bile salts and determine the overall rate and extent of lipid digestion. Therefore, lipid digestibility can be tuned by selecting the appropriate types and levels of stabilizers. The stabilizer can change the lipase accessibility and exposure of lipid substrates, resulting in variable digestion rates. However, emulsified lipids are not only added to food matrixes but are also co-ingested from other dietary components. Therefore, overall consumption behaviors can affect the digestion rate and digestibility of emulsified lipids. Although designing an emulsion structure is challenging, controlling lipid digestion can improve the health benefits of products. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the process of emulsified lipid digestion is required to develop food products that enable specific physiological responses. The targeted or delayed release of lipophilic molecules and fatty acids through emulsion systems has significant applications in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Polysaccharides Are Effective Inhibitors of Natural Gas Hydrate Formation

This review covers the types and applications of chemical inhibitors of gas hydrate formation in the oil and gas industry. The main directions of the development of new types of highly effective and environmentally safe “green” kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) based on biopolymers are analyzed. The structure, physicochemical properties, efficiency of gas hydrate formation inhibition, and commercial prospects of polysaccharides in preventing and controlling the formation of gas hydrates are considered. The criteria for their selection, current experimental data, and the mechanism of inhibition are presented. Recent research in the development of cost-effective, efficient, and biodegradable KHIs for industrial applications in the oil and gas industry is also presented.

Computational Modelling and Molecular Docking of Industrial Leather Enzymes

Leather is one of the widely traded commodities globally. It is a strategically important sector for the economic and industrial development of the country. However, the leather industry is perceived as a highly polluting industry. It produces huge amounts of solid and liquid wastes, and if these wastes are not properly treated and disposed of, then it tends to deteriorate the quality of soil and water, as well as cause emanations of smell and noxious gases into the surrounding. The current paper provides information about industrial leather enzymes, primarily collagenase, tannase, and lecithinase. In this study, enzymes such as collagenase, tannase, and lecithinase had a pivotal role in leather industries and their action in the bioremediation of leather effluents was further analysed and docked with a diverse range of compounds (ligands), with an optimal binding affinity score was determined. All interactions between protein ligands were depicted, which will help us with future research. Furthermore, this method can be tested practically, and other parameters can be studied in the future. Further, applications of enzymes and their hydrolyse by-products have also been highlighted in a variety of industries, including the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural, medical, and food sectors. Subsequently, this finding provides an innovative and broader goal for various sectors in terms of sustainability, stabilisation, and identifying research gaps that can guide modern industries and research scientists.

Safety Assessment of Starch Nanoparticles as an Emulsifier in Human Skin Cells, 3D Cultured Artificial Skin, and Human Skin

Emulsion systems are widely used in various industries, including the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries, because they require emulsifiers to stabilize the inherently unstable contact between oil and water. Although emulsifiers are included in many products, excessive use of emulsifiers destroys skin barriers and causes contact dermatitis. Accordingly, the consumer demand for cosmetic products made from natural ingredients with biocompatibility and biodegradability has increased. Starch in the form of solid nanosized particles is considered an attractive emulsifier that forms and stabilizes Pickering emulsion. Chemical modification of nanosized starch via acid hydrolysis can effectively provide higher emulsion stability. However, typical acid hydrolysis limits the industrial application of starch due to its high time consumption and low recovery. In previous studies, the effects of starch nanoparticles (SNPs) prepared by treatment with acidic dry heat, which overcomes these limitations, on the formation and stability of Pickering emulsions were reported. In this study, we evaluated the safety of SNPs in skin cell lines, 3D cultured skin, and human skin. We found that the cytotoxicity of SNPs in both HaCaT cells and HDF cells could be controlled by neutralization. We also observed that SNPs did not induce structural abnormalities on 3D cultured skin and did not permeate across micropig skin tissue or human skin membranes. Furthermore, patches loaded with SNPs were found to belong in the "No irritation" category because they did not cause any irritation when placed on human skin. Overall, the study results suggest that SNPs can be used as a safe emulsifier in various industries, including in cosmetics.

Botanical characteristics, chemical components, biological activity, and potential applications of mangosteen

Garcinia mangostana L. (Mangosteen), a functional food, belongs to the Garcinaceae family and has various pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, and neuroprotective effects. Mangosteen has abundant chemical constituents with powerful pharmacological effects. After searching scientific literature databases, including PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, Web of Science, VIP, Wanfang, and CNKI, we summarized the traditional applications, botanical features, chemical composition, and pharmacological effects of mangosteen. Further, we revealed the mechanism by which it improves health and treats disease. These findings provide a theoretical basis for mangosteen's future clinical use and will aid doctors and researchers who investigate the biological activity and functions of food.

Pickering Emulsions Stabilized by Chitosan/Natural Acacia Gum Biopolymers: Effects of pH and Salt Concentrations

In this study, chitosan (CT) and naturally occurring acacia gum (AG) blends were employed as emulsifiers to form a series of emulsions developed from diesel and water. Effects of pH level (3, 5, 10, and 12) and various NaCl salt concentrations (0.25-1%) on the stability, viscosity, and interfacial properties of CT-(1%)/AG-(4%) stabilized Pickering emulsions were evaluated. Bottle test experiment results showed that the stability indexes of the CT/AG emulsions were similar under acidic (3 and 5) and alkaline (10 and 12) pH media. On the other hand, the effects of various NaCl concentrations on the stability of CT-(1%)/AG-(4%) emulsion demonstrated analogous behavior throughout. From all the NaCl concentrations and pH levels examined, viscosities of this emulsion decreased drastically with the increasing shear rate, indicating pseudoplastic fluid with shear thinning characteristics of these emulsions. The viscosity of CT-(1%)/AG-(4%) emulsion increased at a low shear rate and decreased with an increasing shear rate. The presence of NaCl salt and pH change in CT/AG solutions induced a transformation in the interfacial tension (IFT) at the diesel/water interface. Accordingly, the IFT values of diesel/water in the absence of NaCl/CT/AG (without emulsifier and salt) remained fairly constant for a period of 500 s, and its average IFT value was 26.16 mN/m. In the absence of salt, the addition of an emulsifier (CT-(1%)/AG-(4%)) reduced the IFT to 16.69 mN/m. When the salt was added, the IFT values were further reduced to 12.04 mN/m. At low pH, the IFT was higher (17.1 mN/M) compared to the value of the IFT (10.8 mN/M) at high pH. The results obtained will help understand the preparation and performance of such emulsions under different conditions especially relevant to oil field applications.

Factors Influencing the Bioavailability of Organic Molecules to Bacterial Cells-A Mini-Review

The bioavailability of organic compounds to bacterial cells is crucial for their vital activities. This includes both compounds that are desirable to the cells (e.g., sources of energy, carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients) and undesirable compounds that are toxic to the cells. For this reason, bioavailability is an issue of great importance in many areas of human activity that are related to bacteria, e.g., biotechnological production, bioremediation of organic pollutants, and the use of antibiotics. This article proposes a classification of factors determining bioavailability, dividing them into factors at the physicochemical level (i.e., those related to the solubility of a chemical compound and its transport in aqueous solution) and factors at the microbiological level (i.e., those related to adsorption on the cell surface and those related to transport into the cell). Awareness of the importance of and the mechanisms governing each of the factors described allows their use to change bioavailability in the desired direction.

Injectable, Anti-Cancer Drug-Eluted Chitosan Microspheres against Osteosarcoma

The purpose of this study is to fabricate different anti-cancer drug-eluted chitosan microspheres for combination therapy of osteosarcoma. In this study, electrospray in combination with ground liquid nitrogen was utilized to manufacture the microspheres. The size of obtained chitosan microspheres was uniform, and the average diameter was 532 μm. The model drug release rate and biodegradation rate of chitosan microspheres could be controlled by the glutaraldehyde vapor crosslinking time. Then the 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), paclitaxel (PTX), and Cis-dichlorodiammine-platinum (CDDP) eluted chitosan microspheres were prepared, and two osteosarcoma cell lines, namely, HOS and MG-63, were selected as cell models for in vitro demonstration. We found the 5-FU microspheres, PTX microspheres, and CDDP microspheres could significantly inhibit the growth and migration of both HOS and MG-63 cells. The apoptosis of both cells treated with 5-FU microspheres, PTX microspheres, and CDDP microspheres was significantly increased compared to the counterparts of control and blank groups. The anti-cancer drug-eluted chitosan microspheres show great potential for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

Comprehensive Review on Applications of Surfactants in Vaccine Formulation, Therapeutic and Cosmetic Pharmacy and Prevention of Pulmonary Failure due to COVID-19

Our world is under serious threat of environmental degradation, climate change and in association with this the out breaks of diseases as pandemics. The devastating impact of the very recent COVID-19, The sharp increase in cases of Cancer, Pulmonary failure, Heart health has triggered questions for the sustainable development of pharmaceutical and medical sciences. In the search of inclusive and effective strategies to meet today’s demand, improvised methodologies and alternative green chemical, bio-based precursors are being introduced by scientists around the globe. In this extensive review we have presented the potentiality and Realtime applications of both synthetic and bio-based surfactants in bio-medical and pharmaceutical fields. For their excellent unique amphoteric nature and ability to solubilise in both organic and inorganic drugs, surfactants are one of the most potential candidates for bio-medicinal fields such as dermatology, drug delivery, anticancer treatment, surfactant therapy, vaccine formulation, personal hygiene care and many more. The self-assembly property of surfactants is a very powerful function for drug delivery systems that increases the bio-availability of the poorly aqueous soluble pharmaceutical products by influencing their solubility. Over the decades many researchers have reported the antimicrobial, anti-adhesive, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities of surfactants regarding its utility in medicinal purposes. In some reports surfactants are found to have spermicidal and laxative activity too. This comprehensive report is targeted to enlighten the versatile applications of Surfactants in drug delivery, vaccine formulation, Cancer Treatment, Therapeutic and cosmetic Pharmaceutical Sciences and prevention of pulmonary failure due to COVID-19.

Nanocarriers for Drug Delivery: An Overview with Emphasis on Vitamin D and K Transportation

Mounting evidence shows that supplementation with vitamin D and K or their analogs induces beneficial effects in various diseases, e.g., osteoarticular, cardiovascular, or carcinogenesis. The use of drugs delivery systems via organic and inorganic nanocarriers increases the bioavailability of vitamins and analogs, enhancing their cellular delivery and effects. The nanotechnology-based dietary supplements and drugs produced by the food and pharmaceutical industries overcome the issues associated with vitamin administration, such as stability, absorption or low bioavailability. Consequently, there is a continuous interest in optimizing the carriers' systems in order to make them more efficient and specific for the targeted tissue. In this pioneer review, we try to circumscribe the most relevant aspects related to nanocarriers for drug delivery, compare different types of nanoparticles for vitamin D and K transportation, and critically address their benefits and disadvantages.