Encapsulating quercetin in cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks improved its solubility and bioavailability

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Quercetin (Que) possesses diverse pharmacological benefits including anticancer and antioxidant properties.
• Poor water solubility of Quercetin limits its use in medicine and food industries.
• Gamma-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (γ-CD-MOFs) are emerging porous materials for encapsulating active compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel Quercetin-loaded γ-CD-MOF composite (Que-CD-MOFs).
• To evaluate the enhanced solubility, antioxidant activity, and cellular effects of Que-CD-MOFs.
• To investigate the encapsulation mechanism of Quercetin within γ-CD-MOFs.

Main Methods:

• Successful loading of Quercetin into γ-CD-MOFs.
• Characterization using X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy.
• Solubility, antioxidant assays, CCK-8 assays, flow cytometry, and molecular modelling.

Main Results:

• Que-CD-MOFs exhibited a 100-fold increase in apparent solubility compared to pure Quercetin.
• Enhanced free radical scavenging ability of Quercetin after encapsulation.
• Reduced cytotoxicity to HK-2 cells while maintaining inhibition of HT-29 tumor cells.
• Molecular modelling indicated preferential Quercetin localization within γ-CD cavities.

Conclusions:

• γ-CD-MOFs serve as effective carriers for enhancing the properties of bioactive agents like Quercetin.
• The developed Que-CD-MOFs show significant potential for food and pharmaceutical applications.
• This study highlights the utility of MOFs in improving drug delivery and bioavailability.