Highly Water-Dispersed and Stable Deinoxanthin Nanocapsule for Effective Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Deinoxanthin (DX), a carotenoid, has excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, owing to its lipophilicity, it is unfavorably dispersed in water and has low stability, limiting its application in cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, it is necessary to study nanoparticles to increase the loading capacity and stability of DX.

In this study, DX-loaded nanocapsules (DX@NCs) were prepared by nanoprecipitation by loading DX into nanocapsules. The size, polydispersity index, surface charge, and morphology of DX@NCs were confirmed through dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The loading content and loading efficiency of DX in DX@NCs were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. The antioxidant activity of DX@NCs was evaluated by DPPH assay and in vitro ROS. The biocompatibility of DX@NCs was evaluated using an in vitro MTT assay. In vitro NO analysis was performed to determine the effective anti-inflammatory efficacy of DX@NCs.

DX@NCs exhibited increased stability and antioxidant efficacy owing to the improved water solubility of DX. The in situ and in vitro antioxidant activity of DX@NCs was higher than that of unloaded DX. In addition, it showed a strong anti-inflammatory effect by regulating the NO level in an in vitro cell model.

This study presents a nanocarrier to improve the water-soluble dispersion and stability of DX. These results demonstrate that DX@NC is a carrier with excellent stability and has a high potential for use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.