Development and characterization of emulgel based on sesame oil and pectin hydrogel for nutraceutical delivery

Herein, emulgel-based nutraceutical delivery systems were developed using sesame oil (SO) and pectin. Various emulgel formulations (SE1-SE5) with varying SO and pectin content were prepared and characterized. The biphasic nature of the formulations was confirmed by microscopy. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed variations in the OH stretching region, reflecting changes in the physical arrangement and hydration behavior with increasing SO content, and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) analysis confirmed the amorphous nature of the emulgels. Mechanical testing showed firmness from the spreadability test (F₀*) increased from 1007.7 g (SE1) to 1697.7 g (SE5). In vitro release studies demonstrated pH-dependent behavior: at pH 1.2, SE5D released 62 % curcumin (CUR) at 180 min, whereas SE4D released only 24 %. At pH 6.8, SE1D exhibited burst release (∼60 % in 30 min, plateauing at 75 %), while SE2D and SE3D showed the lowest release (∼20 %). Ex vivo goat intestine studies revealed permeation values of 12.5 % (SE3D) and 10.5 % (SE4D), outperforming SE1D (4 %). Impedance profiles specifically at mid-frequency, initially decreased (up to SE2) and then increased with an increase in SO content. The 5-[dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay confirmed the formulations were non-cytotoxic to human epithelial cells. Overall, the emulgels demonstrated promising characteristics for controlled nutraceutical delivery.