Physicochemical characterization of a lycopene-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticle formulation

Gabriela Corrêa Carvalho, Gabriel Davi Marena, André Luiz Carneiro Soares do Nascimento, Bruna Almeida Furquim de Camargo, Rafael Miguel Sábio, Felipe Rebello Lourenço, Hélder A. Santos, Marlus Chorilli*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Lycopene (LYC), a carotenoid extracted mainly from tomatoes, has several biological properties, making its use desirable as a nutraceutical and pharmaceutical active ingredient. Among its various applications vulvovaginal candidiasis stands out. However, the use of LYC in therapy has limitations related to its solubility and stability. In this study, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are used to load and protect LYC from degradation. The exact amount of drug incorporated was determined by analytical techniques, such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thermal analysis. For this, we developed and validated an HPLC method for LYC quantification and evaluated LYC impregnation in MSNs, followed by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used in order to confirm drug incorporation. Additionally, an in vitro release study in simulated vaginal fluid was also carried out. The HPLC method was duly validated for the range of 26–125 µg mL−1 and proved to be suitable for LYC quantification. DSC measurements suggest an improvement in the stability of the impregnated drug, which was reinforced by the release assay. Overall, the developed method is suitable to quantify LYC-loaded porous materials enabling its use in vaginal applications.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2300131
Number of pages18
JournalNano Select
Volume5
Issue number7-8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug-2024

Keywords

  • high-performance liquid chromatography
  • lycopene
  • mesoporous silica nanoparticles
  • thermogravimetry
  • validation

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