Abstract
Lactobionic acid (LBA) is widely used in different industrial sectors owing to its biocompatibility characteristics as well as antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. In this study, mixtures of the protein zein with LBA and with the addition of oleic acid (OA) as a ternary system were investigated as drug delivery films for the release of LBA. The chosen combinations exploit the vast difference in water solubility between LBA and the other two components (zein and OA). DSC thermograms and dynamic mechanical spectra, alongside electron microscopy images, were used to describe the microstructural features of the films and were found to provide insights for the release of LBA from the two examined zein-based films immersed in an aqueous physiological solution. For both film systems, a burst release behavior was observed, followed by a rapid and total extraction of LBA. The required immersion time for the total extraction of LBA was greatly reduced when oleic acid was added to the precursor solution mixture for producing the films. The LBA released from the zein-based films was found to exhibit both the expected antioxidant properties as well as exerting bacteriostatic effects towards Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Highlights
IntroductionLactobionic acid (LBA) is obtained by the oxidation of lactose (the main carbohydrate of milk), and it can be produced from pure lactose or by-products of the dairy industry, such as cheese whey [1,2,3,4,5]
Lactobionic acid (LBA) is obtained by the oxidation of lactose, and it can be produced from pure lactose or by-products of the dairy industry, such as cheese whey [1,2,3,4,5]
The thermograms for films produced from the zein-LBA (ZL) mixture of this study (Figure 1a) was completely devoid of any thermal transition features except for a small depression at around 35 ◦ C, which could be attributed to the presence of segregated LBA domains containing small quantities of residual water
Summary
Lactobionic acid (LBA) is obtained by the oxidation of lactose (the main carbohydrate of milk), and it can be produced from pure lactose or by-products of the dairy industry, such as cheese whey [1,2,3,4,5] It is composed of a galactose moiety linked to a gluconic acid molecule via an ether-like linkage. LBA is the main ingredient of cold-storage solutions for organ transplantation because it reduces oxidative damages, catalyzed by metal ions, to tissues/organs These potent antioxidant properties are of interest in skincare, where LBA is used to facilitate wound healing, inhibit the production of both hydroxyl radicals and matrix metalloproteinases that contribute to skin aging, and promote the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans and collagen. Examples include poly (lactide-co-glycolide; PLGA) nanoparticles with LBA surface functionalization via the amino groups of chitosan for the delivery of the drug etoposide to retinoblastoma cells [14]; porous PLGA nanoparticles conjugated with LBA for the controlled release of silymarin (a flavonoid extract of Silybum marianum) to inhibit the proliferation of human liver cancer cells and treat hepatocellular carcinoma [15]; PLGA nanoparticles coated with chitosan modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and LBA, for the targeted release of arsenic trioxide to the liver tumor [13]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
