Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Publication
    Application of Box-Behnken experimental design for the formulation and optimisation of selenomethionine-loaded chitosan nanoparticles coated with zein for oral delivery
    Selenomethionine is an essential amino acid with a narrow therapeutic index and susceptibility to oxidation. Here it was encapsulated into a nanoparticle composed of chitosan cross-linked with tripolyphosphate for oral delivery. The formulation was optimised using a three-factor Box-Behnken experimental design. The chitosan:tripolyphosphate ratio, chitosan solvent pH, and drug load concentration were independently varied. The dependent variables studied were encapsulation efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. For optimisation, encapsulation efficiency and zeta potential were maximised, particle diameter was set to 300 nm and polydispersity index was minimised. A 0.15 mg/mL concentration of selenomethionine, chitosan solvent pH of 3, and chitosan:tripolyphosphate ratio of 6:1 yielded optimum nanoparticles of size 187 ± 58 nm, polydispersity index 0.24 ± 0.01, zeta potential 36 ± 6 mV, and encapsulation efficiency of 39 ± 3%. Encapsulation efficiency was doubled to 80 ± 1.5% by varying pH of the ionotropic solution components and by subsequent coating of the NPs with zein, increasing NP diameter to 377 ± 47 nm, whilst retaining polydispersity index and zeta potential values. Selenomethionine-entrapped nanoparticles were not cytotoxic to intestinal and liver cell lines. Accelerated thermal stability studies indicated good stability of the nanoparticles under normal storage conditions (23 °C). In simulated gastrointestinal and intestinal fluid conditions, 60% cumulative release was obtained over 6 h.
    Scopus© Citations 25  427
  • Publication
    Nutraceutical formulation, characterisation, and in-vitro evaluation of methylselenocysteine and selenocystine using food derived chitosan: zein nanoparticles
    Selenoamino acids (SeAAs) have been shown to possess antioxidant and anticancer properties. However, their bioaccessibility is low and they may be toxic above the recommended nutritional intake level, thus improved targeted oral delivery methods are desirable. In this work, the SeAAs, Methylselenocysteine (MSC) and selenocystine (SeCys2) were encapsulated into nanoparticles (NPs) using the mucoadhesive polymer chitosan (Cs), via ionotropic gelation with tripolyphosphate (TPP) and the NPs produced were then coated with zein (a maize derived prolamine rich protein). NPs with optimized physicochemical properties for oral delivery were obtained at a 6: 1 ratio of Cs:TPP, with a 1:0.75 mass ratio of Cs:zein coating (diameter ~260 nm, polydispersivity index ~0.2, zeta potential >30 mV). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that spheroidal, well distributed particles were obtained. Encapsulation Efficiencies of 80.7% and 78.9% were achieved, respectively, for MSC and SeCys2 loaded NPs. Cytotoxicity studies of MSC loaded NPs showed no decrease in cellular viability in either Caco-2 (intestine) or HepG2 (liver) cells after 4 and 72 h exposures. For SeCys2 loaded NPs, although no cytotoxicity was observed in Caco-2 cells after 4 h, a significant reduction in cytotoxicity was observed, compared to pure SeCys2, across all test concentrations in HepG2 after 72 h exposure. Accelerated thermal stability testing of both loaded NPs indicated good stability under normal storage conditions. Lastly, after 6 h exposure to simulated gastrointestinal tract environments, the sustained release profile of the formulation showed that 62 ± 8% and 69 ± 4% of MSC and SeCys2, had been released from the NPs respectively.
    Scopus© Citations 19  716