For nanoencapsulating a hydrophilic plant extract, which nanocarrier system (food grade) has totally a better efficiency, stability and etc.? (At the range of 10-100 nm).
Liposome?
Niosome?
or....?
And so, which biopolymer(s) should be used to reach a better result?
If somebody has (or knows) a good research or review article, I'd be really thankful if inform me.
I'd deeply appreciate if you can help me by your answers and suggestions as soon as possible.
Liposomes are not that good since the encapsulation efficiency of hydrophilic compounds depends on probability instead of a direct chemical interaction (which is the case of the encapsulation of hydrophobic compounds that interact with the membrane of the liposome). If you are going to use liposomes make sure you use a procedure that enhances the encapsultion of hydrophilic compounds. In this case, the hydration of thin film method is not that good. I suggest you to check out hydrophilic micellar nanoparticles.
Thanks for responding. As you mentioned, for hydrophobic compounds, trapping in middle space or interaction with bilayer surface (surfactant) (between hydrophobic tails [tails=chains]) is useful and generally make a good stability for releasing. But, for hydrophilic compounds (e.g. plant extracts), I focused on the inner core (inner sphere space) of liposome that is surrounded by polar (hydrophilic) head of surfactants. So, I think it could be a good system for nanocapsulating of hydrophilic extracts of some medicinal plants.
I'd appreciate if you and all readers put your comments on this issue.
Of course liposomes also encapsulate hydrophilic compounds as plant extracts but I guess you cannot expect a high encapsulation efficiency since that type of encapsulation depends merely on the probability of capturing your extract during the formation of the liposome (in the case of the Bangham method). As I told you before, if you are going to use liposomes (which is OK) make sure you use a method that enhances or improves the encapsulation of hydrophilic compounds. For example, the ethanol injection method yields better results in this case. In summary, you can use liposomes but it's not going to be as straightforward as it seems.