Abstract
Purpose: Lycopene belongs to the carotenoids that shows good pharmacological properties including antioxidant,
anti-inflammatory and anticancer. However, as a result of very low aqueous
solubility, it has a limited systemic absorption, following oral
administration.
Methods: Here, we prepared a stable lycopene-loaded
solid lipid nanoparticles using Precirol®
ATO5, Compritol 888 ATO and myristic acid by hot homogenization
method with some modification. The size and morphological characteristics of
nanoparticles were evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
Moreover, zeta potential and dispersity index (DI) were measured using zeta sizer. In addition, encapsulation efficiency (EE%), drug loading
(DL) and cumulative drug release were quantified.
Results: The results
showed that the size and DI of particles was generally smaller in the case of
SLNs prepared with precirol when compared to SLNs prepared with compritol.
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analyses showed spherical
SLNs (125 ± 3.89 nm), monodispersed distribution, and zeta potential of −10.06
± 0.08 mV. High EE (98.4 ± 0.5 %) and DL (44.8 ± 0.46 mg/g) were achieved in
the case of nanoparticles prepared by precirol. The stability study of the
lycopene-SLNs in aqueous medium (4 °C) was showed that after 2 months there is
no significant differences seen in size and DI compared with the fresh
formulation.
Conclusion: Conclusively, in this
investigation we prepared a stable lycopene-SLNs with good physicochemical
characteristic which candidate it for the future in vivo trials in
nutraceutical industries.