Carminic Acid Linked to Silica Nanoparticles as Pigment/Antioxidant Bifunctional Excipient for Pharmaceutical Emulsions

Abstract

The incorporation of pigments and natural polyphenols into inorganic matrices, resulting in a hybrid material that improves the resistance and chemical stability of the pigments and the antioxidant capacity of the materials, has been of great interest to the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries. The aim of this work was to prepare and characterize a bifunctional pigment–antioxidant nanomaterial-based carminic acid-decorated solid core-mesoporous shell silica nanoparticles, evaluating its properties as a pigment, its antioxidant capacity and its properties as a chemical stabilizer of emulsions. The chemical stability of oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions was evaluated determining the stability of vitamin E solubilized in the oil phase. Carminic acid was attached through the action of coupling ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC)/N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) agents, and the resulting spherical and homogeneous nanoparticles showed a diameter close to 175 nm. A notorious change of emulsion color was observed by the addition of the nanomaterial. Emulsions showed an attractive pink color, and when the pH was adjusted to pH 3 and pH 9, a change in color was observed, analogous to carminic acid in solution. The nanomaterial incorporation also improved chemical stability, decreasing vitamin E consumption to 9.26% of the initial value, demonstrating an important antioxidant effect of the developed nanomaterial.

Multiparticulate Systems of Meloxicam for Colonic Administration in Cancer or Autoimmune Diseases

“…The selective release systems at the colonic level must delay the release, which constitute an interesting alternative for the administration of some drugs in a less hostile environment than the stomach or small intestine with a high enzymatic activity [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The long residence times in this area of the intestine are also important, as they increase the systemic absorption of some drugs, achieving a local effect [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

Nanoantioxidant Materials: Nanoengineering Inspired by Nature

“…It can also interact with enzymes and inhibit their action in the body [ 27 ]. A natural hydroxyanthraquinone pigment used in the pharmaceutical industry is carminic acid, which can neutralize free radicals and ROS [ 28 ]. Another distinct category is humic acids, namely natural antioxidants composed of polyphenolic compounds, carboxylic acids, carbonyls, and quinoids that can scavenge free radicals [ 29 ].…”

“…During the application of the method, the antioxidant concentration in the sample is proportional to the fluorescence intensity. It is evaluated by comparing the net area under the curve with the known values given by Trolox as a standard [ 99 ].Other evaluation methods referred to in the bibliography include the direct detection of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) [ 28 ], hypochlorous acid (HOCl) scavenging activity [ 100 ], different types of inhibited autoxidation reactions [ 58 ], or MV-Fenton reagent systems [ 101 ]. An analytical method has been developed based on the functionalization of an antioxidant in Carbon Black [ 102 ].…”

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“…Arriagada et al [68] explored the simultaneous loading of vitamin E and carminic acid in Pickering emulsions stabilized by core-mesoporous shell silica nanoparticles. The main difference with previous studies is that they took advantage of the multiple possibilities offered by silica particles for chemical functionalization, conjugating the carminic acid to the particle shell, stabilizing the emulsions, whereas vitamin E remains encapsulated within the oil phase.…”