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Preparation, Purification, and Use of Fatty Acid-containing Liposomes
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Menthol-Fatty Acid HDES Boosts In Vitro Oral Bioavailability of Oleanolic Acid via Synergistic Digestive Release and
Qin Zhang1, Chenjia Li1, Jie Yu1
1Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Food Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, No. 1 Nongda Road, Furong District, Changsha 410128, China.
Foods (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 28, 2026
Summary
This study developed a novel hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) to enhance oleanolic acid (OA) oral bioavailability. The optimized HDES system significantly boosted OA absorption and cellular uptake, offering a tunable delivery strategy.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Drug Delivery
- Materials Science
Background:
- Oleanolic acid (OA) possesses therapeutic potential but suffers from poor oral bioavailability.
- Developing effective delivery systems is crucial for enhancing OA's therapeutic efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a menthol-fatty acid-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent (HDES) for improving oleanolic acid (OA) oral bioavailability.
- To elucidate the mechanism underlying HDES-mediated enhancement of OA absorption.
Main Methods:
- In vitro simulated digestion models were employed to assess OA bioaccessibility.
- Caco-2 cell transport models were utilized to evaluate OA cellular uptake.
- Spectral characterization and cellular studies were conducted for mechanistic investigations.
Main Results:
- The short-chain HDES significantly increased OA's apparent in vitro bioavailability index by 9.3-fold compared to ethanol.
- HDES enhanced OA bioaccessibility to 14.30% (vs. 4.90% for ethanol) and cellular uptake to 25.79% (vs. 4.71% for ethanol).
- The efficacy demonstrated a clear dependence on fatty acid chain length, with optimal hydrophobicity and diffusion properties of HDES being key.
Conclusions:
- Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents provide a tunable and effective strategy for enhancing the oral delivery of oleanolic acid.
- The fatty acid chain length of HDES plays a critical role in modulating OA bioaccessibility and cellular absorption.
- This approach offers a promising avenue for improving the bioavailability of other hydrophobic bioactive compounds.
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