Recently, the applications
of deep eutectic solvents
(DESs) as
green and sustainable solvents for the solubilization of functional
foods and phytophenols have dramatically risen concerning global issues
on the utilization of organic solvents. Nevertheless, developing a
suitable DES system for phytocomponents to enhance its solubility
and bioavailability is complex and requires a sound experimental setup.
Herein, we have attempted to develop DES encompassing the choline
chloride (ChCl) along with oxalic acid (OA), l-glutamine
(l-Glu), urea (U), and glycerol (Gro) at different ratios
to elicit the solubility and bioavailability of naringin (NAR). Several
DES systems were designed and tested for solubility, kinematic viscosity,
and pH. Among these, DES-NAR encompassing ChCl/Gro in a 1:3 ratio
exhibited the maximum solubility of NAR (232.56 ± 7.1 mg/mL)
and neutral characteristic and thus considered suitable for NAR. Further,
the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) has
been employed to estimate the molecular and electrostatic interactions.
DES-NAR was evaluated by polarized optical microscopy, Fourier-transform
infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and 1H NMR to investigate the molecular transition and interaction.
Further, diffusion and permeability studies were performed, which
suggest significant improvements in DES-NAR. Likewise, the pharmacokinetic
studies revealed a two times increase in the oral bioavailability
of NAR in a designed DES system. Thus, the work represents a systematic
and efficient development of the DES system for a potential phytocomponent
considering the biosafety impact, which may widen the interest in
pharmaceutical and food sciences.