Proniosomal Formulation Encapsulating Pomegranate Peel Extract for Nutraceutical Applications

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Pomegranate peel is a rich source of antioxidants but lacks stability.
• Traditional remedies require enhanced delivery systems for improved efficacy.
• Proniosomal systems offer a promising approach for encapsulating natural extracts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extract and stabilize antioxidant compounds from pomegranate peel.
• To develop and characterize proniosome-derived niosomes for pomegranate peel extract.
• To evaluate the physical stability, antioxidant activity, and safety of the developed niosomes.

Main Methods:

• Green extraction of pomegranate peel using sonication.
• Preparation of proniosomal powder using span 60, tween 20, and cholesterol.
• Hydration of proniosomes to form niosomes and subsequent characterization.
• Evaluation of antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and cytotoxicity using 3T3 fibroblast cells.

Main Results:

• The pomegranate peel extract exhibited high antioxidant activity (85.37%).
• Proniosome-derived niosomes showed small particle size (198.16-411.3 nm), good homogeneity (PDI 0.188-0.216), and negative charge.
• High encapsulation efficiency (68.43±0.24%) and excellent physical stability at 4°C for 28 days were observed.
• The formulations demonstrated no toxicity against 3T3 fibroblast cells.

Conclusions:

• Proniosomal encapsulation effectively enhances the stability and antioxidant potential of pomegranate peel extract.
• The developed niosomal formulation is safe and stable, showing potential for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
• Sonication and proniosomal systems represent a green and efficient approach for natural product delivery.