Monoolein aqueous dispersions as a delivery system for quercetin

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Quercetin (QT) is a flavonoid with significant antioxidant properties but limited bioavailability.
• Developing effective delivery systems is crucial for enhancing QT's therapeutic potential.
• Monoolein aqueous dispersions (MAD) offer a promising nanocarrier system for bioactive compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize monoolein aqueous dispersions (MAD) encapsulating quercetin (QT).
• To evaluate the in vitro release kinetics and antioxidant activity of QT-loaded MAD.
• To assess the influence of sodium cholate concentration on MAD structure and performance.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of MAD with varying sodium cholate concentrations (0.15% and 0.25%).
• Characterization using Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) and X-ray analysis.
• Size analysis via Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (PCS) and Sedimentation Field Flow Fractionation (SdFFF).
• In vitro release studies using Franz cells.
• Antioxidant activity assessment.

Main Results:

• MAD015 formed a mixture of vesicles and cubic structures; MAD025 primarily consisted of unilamellar vesicles.
• Particle size was initially >300 nm, decreasing to ~200 nm over 100 days.
• Both formulations exhibited similar in vitro QT release profiles.
• Antioxidant activity directly correlated with the encapsulated QT content.

Conclusions:

• Monoolein aqueous dispersions (MAD) are suitable for quercetin (QT) encapsulation.
• The concentration of sodium cholate influences the nanostructure of MAD.
• MAD formulations demonstrate sustained QT release and retain antioxidant efficacy, indicating potential for QT delivery.