Synthesis and characterization of β-carotene-loaded albumin nanoparticles by high-speed homogenizer

Abstract

β-Carotene (BC) is a strong antioxidant, but its therapeutic application has been limited by its poor aqueous solubility. Protein-based nanoparticles (NPs) have been used to increase the aqueous solubility of hydrophobic drugs. In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to prepare NPs to encapsulate BC using a high-speed homogenizer. After homogenization, BC-BSA-NPs were formed and the encapsulated BC was dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline at pH 7.4. Various characterization methods, including dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and spectrophotometry, indicated that BC-BSA-NPs were spherical with an average size of 112 nm and encapsulated BC with high efficiency. BC encapsulated in NPs was stable during the preparation process and was continuously released in PBS at 37 °C for 3 days. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays demonstrated good antioxidant activity of BC-BSA-NPs. These results suggest that BSA-NPs are a promising nanocarrier for the delivery of BC. © 2022 Korean Chemical Society, Seoul & Wiley-VCH GmbH.