Nanoemulsion-templated shell-crosslinked nanocapsules as drug delivery systems

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Developing stable and effective nanocarriers is crucial for drug delivery.
• Food proteins offer biocompatible and versatile platforms for nanomaterial synthesis.
• Existing nanoemulsions often lack sufficient long-term stability for practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel biocompatible shell-crosslinked nanocapsule system using food proteins.
• To evaluate the drug-loading capacity, stability, and reconstitution properties of the nanocapsules.
• To explore the potential of these nanocapsules for targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Nanoemulsion templates were prepared using mechanical mixing and high-pressure homogenization.
• Nanocapsule shells were formed via calcium ion-induced crosslinking of food proteins.
• Particle size, drug-loading capacity, and stability were assessed, including freeze-drying and reconstitution.

Main Results:

• Core-shell structured nanocapsules with a particle size of approximately 200 nm were successfully developed.
• The nanocapsules exhibited high drug-loading capacity and significantly improved stability compared to nanoemulsions.
• The nanocapsule suspension could be freeze-dried and reconstituted in water, retaining particle size.

Conclusions:

• Nanoemulsion-templated, core-shell nanocapsules represent a novel drug delivery system with enhanced loading capacity and stability.
• These nanocapsules are suitable for poorly water-soluble drugs and demonstrate excellent long-term and storage stability.
• Surface functionalization with food proteins allows for ligand anchoring, indicating potential in targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and therapeutics.