Design and Development of Spray-Dried Microsystems to Improve Technological and Functional Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Hazelnut Shells

Abstract

An extract obtained from hazelnut shells by-products (HSE) has antioxidant and chemopreventive effects on human melanoma and cervical cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis by caspase-3 activation. A clinical translation is limited by poor water solubility and low bioavailability. Dried plant extracts often show critical characteristics such as sticky/gummy appearance, unpleasant smell, and instability involving practical difficulties in processing for industrial use. A spray drying method has been applied to transform raw HSE in a microparticulate powder. The biopolymeric matrix was based on l-proline as loading carrier, hydroxyethylcellulose in combination with pectin as coating polymers; lecithin and ethanol were used as solubility enhancers. A Hot-Cold-Hot method was selected to prepare the liquid feed. The thus prepared powder showed good technological properties (solid-state, particle dimensions, morphology, and water dissolution rate), stability, and unchanged chemopreventive effects with respect to the unprocessed HSE.

Study on Ajuga reptans Extract: A Natural Antioxidant in Microencapsulated Powder Form as an Active Ingredient for Nutraceutical or Pharmaceutical Purposes

“…The selection of an adequate polymeric matrix, liquid feed composition (viscosity, particle size, concentration), and the process parameters (flow rate, temperature) represents a crucial step to transform a natural extract in a stable powder, employing spray-drying technology. Usually, natural extracts are not soluble in water and they resulted in sticky material for the presence of low molecular weight sugar and acids, which have a low glass transition temperature [ 21 ].…”

“…The potential cytotoxic effect of AJ extract, compounds 1 – 6 , and AJEP 3 microparticles, was investigated by MTT (3-(4,5-dimetiltiazol-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide)) assay, as reported in [ 21 ]. Approximately, cells (5.0 × 10 4 /well) were grown in 96-well plates and, after 24 h, were treated with extract or compounds, dissolved in DMSO, and AJEP 3 microparticles dissolved in distilled water.…”

“…The polymeric matrix was chosen based on a previously conducted study [ 21 ]; different liquid feeds were prepared following the Hot-Cold (H-C) method that was reported by Esposito et al, and briefly described here.…”

“…In a recently published work, a multi-component matrix that is based on L-proline/hydroxyethylcellulose as loading/coating agents, and lecithin as solubility enhancer, was developed to encapsulate, via spray-drying, an organic functional extract from hazelnut shells [ 21 ]. The matrix was able to well interact with the extract enhancing its stability, handling, and water dissolution rate resulting in a high-quality bioactive ingredient for natural healthy products [ 21 ].…”

“…In a recently published work, a multi-component matrix that is based on L-proline/hydroxyethylcellulose as loading/coating agents, and lecithin as solubility enhancer, was developed to encapsulate, via spray-drying, an organic functional extract from hazelnut shells [ 21 ]. The matrix was able to well interact with the extract enhancing its stability, handling, and water dissolution rate resulting in a high-quality bioactive ingredient for natural healthy products [ 21 ]. We proposed this formulative and productive approach as a general model to carry and deliver extracts with similar physico-chemical characteristics and critical solubility and stability, giving a microparticulate product with extended shelf-life and improve technological particle properties, such as morphology, shape, and water dissolution rate.…”