β-Cyclodextrin/cationic-cellulose/naringenin complex-stabilized Pickering lemon emulsions with enhanced bioavailability

Summary

A low loading capacity and gastrointestinal instability are critical issues that need to be addressed to improve the bioavailability of conventional Pickering emulsions (CPEs). Using naringenin, a citrus-derived bioactive compound with multiple health-promoting effects as an example, this study developed a novel β-cyclodextrin/cationic cellulose/naringenin complex (β-CD/C-CNC/Nar) as an emulsifier to construct a novel Pickering emulsion (NPE), in which naringenin is present in the complex at the oil–water interface; this is distinct from a CPE that loads naringenin in the oil phase. The loading capacity (0.9 mg/mL) of the NPE was increased at least 10 times compared to the CPE. The 24-h apparent stability, centrifugal stability, and thermal stability of the NPE was improved after dissolving LMP, a natural polysaccharide that enhances emulsion stability by increasing the viscosity, which could form a three-dimensional network through hydrogen bonding interactions at a lower pH. In vitro simulated digestion showed that the NPE with 2 wt% LMP effectively resisted digestive environment stress, especially in the gastric phase, and significantly improved the bioaccessibility (41.01%) and naringenin release percentage (44.0%). In vivo pharmacokinetic tests demonstrated that the NPE with 2 wt% LMP had excellent bioavailability (C_max 0.27 μg/mL, AUC_0→24 9.56 h μg/mL) and sustained-release effect (T_max 2 h). This study provides new insights into the development of flavor NPEs for the efficient in vivo delivery of hydrophobic bioactive compounds.