No abstract

Although β-carotene is an essential nutrient for the maintenance of human health, it is insoluble in water and extremely unstable, which limits its application. Here, we prepared a stable emulsification system of whey protein (WP)-Lycium barbarum L. leaves flavonoids (LBLF) complex as a carrier to load βcarotene. The rheological properties, antioxidant properties and stability of emulsion were studied, and the effects of emulsion on the biological retention of β-carotene and stability were investigated. The results indicate that, compared with WP, the WP-LBLF emulsion has smaller particles, a smaller creaming index, and significantly enhanced chemical stability under light and heat treatment conditions. The thiobarbituric acid value of the WP-LBLF emulsion (0.031 AE 0.016 mg/kg) was dramatically lower than that of the WP emulsion (0.045 AE 0.012 mg/kg) (P < 0.05). In the simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiment, the retention rate of β-carotene was higher in WP-LBLF emulsion. Additionally, the WP-LBLF emulsion loaded with β-carotene has good salt tolerance and heat stability. In our study, WP-LBLF was used as an emulsifier to load β-carotene emulsion to improve its bioavailability and stability, which provides a new preparation and application method for a complex functional emulsifier.

It has been determined that Lycium barbarum L. leaves are a vital source of bioactive chemicals and have good potential for creating nutritious formulations. In this work, gavage injections of Lycium barbarum L. leaves flavonoids (LBLF) at various doses -50, 150, and 300 mg/kg BW -were administered to Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Four main LBLFs (rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin) were assessed for stability and antioxidant activity in vivo. The findings demonstrated that within 4 h of the LBLF intervention, the plasma levels of rutin, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin were significantly dose-dependent. The rutin content peaked at 762.16 ± 36.63 μg/g at 1 h after the intervention, while the other three peaked at 383.07 ± 3.19 μg/g, 29.44 ± 1.95 μg/g and 18.511 ± 1.99 μg/g, at 3 h after the intervention respectively. Additionally, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly lower, and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-P x ), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) were all considerably higher than those of the control group. This will establish a basis for elucidating the LBLF metabolic pathway in vivo, additional research into techniques to increase its stability, and investigation into its therapeutic activity.