Abstract
Polymeric nanoparticles based on fucoidan and chitosan were developed to deliver quercetin as a novel functional food. Through the polyelectrolyte self-assembly method, fucoidan/chitosan (F/C) nanoparticles were obtained with three different weight ratios (1/1, 3/1, and 5/1). The content of quercetin in the fucoidan/chitosan nanoparticles was in the range 110 ± 3 to 335 ± 4 mg·mL−1, with the increase of weight ratio of fucoidan to chitosan in the nanoparticle. Physicochemically stable nanoparticles were obtained with a particle size within the 300–400 nm range and surface potential higher than +30 mV for the 1F/1C ratio nanoparticle and around −30 mV for the 3F/1C and 5F/1C ratios nanoparticles. The 1F/1C ratio nanoparticle became larger and more unstable as the pH increased from 2.5 to 7.4, while the 3F/1C and 5F/1C nanoparticles retained their initial characteristics. This result indicates that the latter nanoparticles were stable along the gastrointestinal tract. The quercetin-loaded fucoidan/chitosan nanoparticles showed strong antioxidant activity and controlled release under simulated gastrointestinal environments (in particular for the 3F/1C and 5F/1C ratios), preventing quercetin degradation and increasing its oral bioavailability.
Highlights
Nature was always a rich source of compounds, usually associated with health-promoting properties and with therapeutic action in several pathologies [1]
The anionic fucoidan and the cationic chitosan were mixed at room temperature, and the interaction between both polyelectrolytes formed a complex with nanosized range as reported earlier [44,45]
The typical spectrum possible to monitor the presence of fucoidan and chitosan in the nanoparticles
Summary
Nature was always a rich source of compounds, usually associated with health-promoting properties and with therapeutic action in several pathologies [1]. One of the best known polyphenolic flavonols is quercetin, the most abundant antioxidant found in the human diet, sourced from a wide range of fruits and vegetables [2]. Quercetin showed strong anti-inflammatory activity, as well as applications in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases [3,4]. The promising characteristics of this molecule caught the attention of several research groups, who exploit its benefits for medicine and nutrition purposes, ideally via oral administration of quercetin [5]. The stability and general characteristics of quercetin change according to food processing and pharmaceutical handling [6]. Variation in terms of pH, temperature, oxidation, and degradation can lead to a decrease in quercetin content, and to the ineffectiveness of its promising therapeutic qualities [7]
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