Preparation, characterization, stability, and controlled release of chitosan-coated zein/shellac nanoparticles for the delivery of quercetin

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 444; p. 138634
• Main Authors: Liu, Jiawen, Yu, Hongrui, Kong, Jianglong, Ge, Xiaohan, Sun, Yuting, Mao, Meiru, Wang, David Y., Wang, Yi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 30.06.2024
• Subjects: Chitosan; Chitosan - chemistry; Controlled release; Delayed-Action Preparations - chemistry; Nanoencapsulation; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Quercetin; Quercetin - chemistry; Resins, Plant; Shellac; Zein; Zein - chemistry; Zein; Chitosan; Nanoencapsulation; Shellac; Controlled release; Quercetin
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.138634

[Display omitted] •Quercetin-loaded zein/shellac nanoparticles with chitosan coatings (QZSC) were prepared.•QZSC with a ratio of 4:1 of zein and chitosan demonstrated superior physical properties.•The nanoparticles exhibit excellent environmental stability.•The chitosan-coated zein/shellac matrix enhanced the antioxidant capability of quercetin.•The QZSC are capable of controlled release in the simulated gastrointestinal solutions. Quercetin, an essential flavonoid compound, exhibits diverse biological activities including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Nevertheless, due to its inadequate solubility in water and vulnerability to degradation, pure quercetin is constrainedly utilized in pharmaceutical formulations and functional foods. Considering the existing scarcity of nanoparticles consisted of zein and hydrophobic biopolymers, this study developed a quercetin-loaded nanoencapsulation based on zein, shellac, and chitosan (QZSC). When the mass ratio of zein to chitosan was 4:1, the encapsulation efficiency of QZSC reached 74.95%. The ability of QZSC for scavenging DPPH radicals and ABTS radicals increased from 59.2% to 75.4% and from 47.0% to 70.2%, respectively, compared to Quercetin. For QZSC, the maximum release amount of quercetin reached 59.62% in simulated gastric fluid and 81.64% in simulated intestinal fluid, achieving controlled and regulated release in vitro. In summary, this study offers a highly promising encapsulation strategy for hydrophobic bioactive substances that are prone to instability.