Phytoestrogen coumestrol: antioxidant capacity and its loading in albumin nanoparticles

Publication date: Available online 16 March 2019Source: International Journal of PharmaceuticsAuthor(s): Guillermo Montero, Francisco Arriagada, Germán Günther, Soledad Bollo, Francisco Mura, Eduardo Berríos, Javier MoralesAbstractCoumestrol is a polyphenol with promising therapeutic applications as phytoestrogen, antioxidant and potential cancer chemoprevention agent. The presence of two hydroxyl groups on its chemical structure, with orientation analogous to estradiol, is responsible of both, its antioxidant capacity and its estrogenic activity. However, several studies show that the interaction of polyphenols with food and plasma proteins reduces their antioxidant efficacy.We studied the interaction of coumestrol with bovine serum albumin protein (BSA) by fluorescence spectroscopy and circular dichroism techniques, and the effect of this interaction on its antioxidant activity as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. In addition, coumestrol antioxidant capacity profile using different assays (DPPH, ORAC-FL and ORAC-EPR) was studied. To explain its reactivity we used several methodologies, including DFT calculations, to define its antioxidant mechanism.Coumestrol antioxidant activity unveiled interesting antioxidant properties. BSA interaction with coumestrol reduces significantly photolitic degradation in several media thus preserving its antioxidant properties. Results suggest no significant changes in BSA structure and activity when interacting with coumestrol. Furthermore, t...
Source: International Journal of Pharmaceutics - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research