Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 2544: Co-Encapsulation of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Vitamin B12 in Zein Microstructures by Electrospinning/Electrospraying Technique

Molecules, Vol. 28, Pages 2544: Co-Encapsulation of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Vitamin B12 in Zein Microstructures by Electrospinning/Electrospraying Technique Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules28062544 Authors: Ana F. Couto Maéna Favretto Raphael Paquis Berta N. Estevinho EGCG is a catechin known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin found in animal-derived products, and its deficiency may cause serious health problems such as anemia. The effectiveness of both catechin and vitamin B12 depends on their stability and bioavailability, which can be lost during industrial processes due to degradation when exposed to external factors. A potential solution to this issue is the microencapsulation, which protects the compounds from external agents. The current study aims to microencapsulate EGCG and vitamin B12 in a polymer matrix of biological origin, zein. Microencapsulation was performed using an electrospinning technique, and different concentrations of zein (1–30% w/v) and active compound (0.5–5% w/w) were tested, resulting in the production of micro/nanoparticles, fibers, or the mixture of both. The microstructures were analyzed and characterized in terms of morphology, release profile and kinetics, and encapsulation efficiency. High encapsulation efficiencies were obtained, and the highest were found in the samples with 1% w/w of active substance and 30% w/v of zein. Controlle...
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research