Sacha inchi oil is rich in essential and non-essential fatty acids and other types of bioactive agents like tocopherols and polyphenolic compounds, which are very well-known antioxidants. In this study, the encapsulation of sacha inchi oil in alginate (AL) and chitosan (CS) nanoparticles was achieved with the assistance of high-intensity ultrasound. Nanoemulsion is the most effective delivery and high stability system for lipophilic bioactive agents. Chitosan and surfactant concentrations were varied to study their effect on particle formulations. Size, zeta-potential, polydispersity, and stability of particles were determined in time to optimize the preparation conditions. Sacha inchi oil encapsulated in AL-CS nanoparticles showed a higher loading efficiency and stability for short and long periods compared with other vegetable oils such as olive and soybean. Also, because of the types of tocopherols present in sacha inchi oil (γ- and δ-tocopherols), a much higher antioxidant activity (95% of radical reduction in 15 min) was found in comparison with nanocapsules with olive oil, which contain α-tocopherols. The particles showed high efficiency of protein loading at high concentration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and a low rate of leaching profiles in various testing media like simulated gastric and intestinal fluids with/without enzymes, that is, pepsin 0.1% (w/v) and pancreatin 0.1% (w/v), respectively.

Cat’s claw and aloe vera gel contain active compounds and could be used to enhance the properties of wound dressings. Cat’s claw is known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic and anti-asthmatic properties; and aloe vera is commonly used for wound healing and skin hydration. In this study, we elaborated microparticles from an emulsion made of alginate solutions with aloe vera gel or cat’s claw extract with ultrasound and tri-dimensional membranes obtained by solvent evaporation. The 27 to 33 µm-thick membranes showed a porous surface on scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the contact angle of water on the membranes increased in hydrophilicity due to the use of aloe vera gel. Furthermore, the presence of aloe vera also improved water absorption in an acetate buffer (pH 5.5) at 37.5 °C. Finally, the presence of cat’s claw extract in the microparticles significantly enhanced radical scavenging in the 2,2’-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), ABTS, decoloration assay, in comparison to tri-dimensional alginate membranes with no active compounds. Alginate films with cat’s claw extract or aloe vera gel could be used as wound dressings materials.

Welcome to the largest platform for early-stage research

Welcome to the largest platform for early-stage research

Welcome to the largest platform for early-stage research

Welcome to the largest platform for early-stage research