Quercetin and β-sitosterol were successfully co-encapsulated in a transethosomal nanovesicular system to improve drug delivery and produce an enhanced anticancer effect for the treatment of skin cancer. This study aimed to develop and optimise a quercetin and β-sitosterol co-loaded transethosomal and evaluate its physicochemical characteristics and in vitro anticancer potential against melanoma. Box-Behnken design was used for optimisation, with vesicle size and zeta potential chosen as important response parameters and Tween 80, Soy Lecithin, and Ethanol used as independent variables. Franz diffusion cells were used to confirm the improved formulation experimentally and assess its in vitro drug release and skin retention. The optimised formulation showed a vesicle size of 92.84 nm, PDI of 0.198, and zeta potential of -16.5 mV. Significant skin retention and sustained 24-hour release were observed, reaching 68.02% for quercetin and 72.09% for β-sitosterol. Non-irritancy and isotonicity were verified by HET-CAM analysis.

Semaglutide is a widely used treatment for weight loss, conventionally administered by subcutaneous injection. A non-invasive alternative is nasal delivery, which may improve ease of use and patient compliance. This study investigates the spray-drying microencapsulation of semaglutide using water-soluble polymers of varying molecular weights, including polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), combined with trehalose as a stabilising sugar. The process achieved over 90% semaglutide retention after three months of storage at 4 °C and encapsulation efficiencies exceeding 95% at a semaglutide concentration of 0.5 mg/mL, using a 1:1 sugar-to-polymer ratio. The resulting formulations fully dissolved in nasal mucus within two hours, with over 30% absorption occurring in the first 20 minutes. Toxicological testing showed no adverse effects on nasal cell lines. Enhanced transport across nasal cells was observed with higher trehalose content, achieving complete transport within two hours.

This study aimed to improve the bioavailability and anticancer efficacy of isorhamnetin (Iso), a flavonoid with poor water solubility, by encapsulating it into nanoliposomes and evaluating their effects. Iso-loaded nanoliposomes (Iso.NLP) were prepared via thin-film hydration and characterised for particle size, morphology, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency (EE%). In vitro drug release, stability at 4 °C, cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cells, and cellular uptake using FITC-labelled Iso.NLP were assessed. Optimised Iso.NLP were spherical (101-168 nm) with zeta potentials of -16.5 to -4.5 mV and EE% of 87-94%. Iso.NLP2 showed sustained release (∼65% in 24 h vs. 100% free Iso in 6 h), stable for ≥10 days at 4 °C. MTT assay revealed higher cytotoxicity for Iso.NLP2 (42.5% viability) versus free Iso (71.2%, 4 µM; p < 0.01). Cellular uptake was markedly enhanced. Iso.NLPs improved Iso's bioavailability and anticancer efficacy, supporting their potential for further studies in breast cancer therapy.

Across industries, the demand for high-performance and environmentally responsible products is reshaping the design of functional materials. Microencapsulation, a technique that entrains active agents within microscopic shells, has emerged as an effective strategy to protect, stabilise, and control the release of sensitive compounds. Initially developed for specialised applications, it is now widely used in pharmaceuticals, food technology, cosmetics, agriculture, textiles, and advanced materials. This review presents an overview of microencapsulation technologies, covering core-shell structures, material selection, and major fabrication methods such as coacervation, solvent evaporation, spray drying, layer-by-layer assembly, and co-extrusion. The influence of processing conditions, capsule morphology, and release mechanisms on encapsulation efficiency and performance is critically discussed. In addition, current challenges including durability, scalability, and environmental concerns are highlighted. The review also outlines emerging research directions, particularly the development of biodegradable polymers, solvent-free processes, and stimuli-responsive systems for sustainable and advanced functional applications.

Lurasidone hydrochloride is a promising antipsychotic agent. The currently marketed formulation (Latuda[®]) of lurasidone hydrochloride exhibits extremely poor bioavailability and requires daily dosing. Current research focuses on the development and optimisation of a lurasidone hydrochloride-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microparticle-based long-acting depot formulation. The optimised batch of microparticles showed 32.81 ± 1.46 µm particle size, 95.74 ± 3.19% an entrapment efficiency, and a drug loading of 27.68 ± 0.95%. The morphological examination showed the buckling effect on the surface of microparticles, resembling the appearance of a golf ball, and DSC revealed amorphisation and successful encapsulation of lurasidone hydrochloride. The in vitro release study was performed for real-time and accelerated conditions, which showed the triphasic drug release pattern and followed the Hixon-Crowell release kinetic model. The real-time study showed 80.26 ± 3.84% drug release within 90 days. Overall, the results of this research work furnished a strong basis for further development of lurasidone hydrochloride microparticle-based long-acting injectables at a large scale.

This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the electrospinning process involving polymer solutions incorporating essential oils (EOs). Different electrospinning methods, as a versatile and efficient technique for producing nanofibers and different EOs, are discussed. It explores various electrospinning techniques to produce nanofibers containing EO. Furthermore, it reviews the applications of EO-incorporated electrospun nanofibers in biomedical fields, food packaging, and cosmetics. The review also highlights the types of polymers employed in conjunction with EOs and identifies commonly used essential oils. Additionally, it discusses the encapsulation of EOs and the role of supporting materials in the electrospinning process. While the findings from laboratory research are promising, translating these results into commercial applications requires time and strategic engineering efforts to address potential challenges across various sectors.

Spirulina's valuable properties are often overshadowed by its off-flavour. This study demonstrates that microencapsulation using maltodextrin as wall material effectively addresses these challenges. The encapsulated spirulina (ES1) exhibited good encapsulation efficiency (49.70%) and yield (40.55%), with low wettability (0.08 ± 0.03gmin[-1]) and hygroscopicity (6.16 ± 0.18%). Significant composition changes were observed in ES1, including total lipids (6.22 ± 0.50g 100 g[-1]), carbohydrates (51.97 ± 0.75g 100 g[-1]), moisture (6.42 ± 0.24g 100 g[-1]), protein (31.59 ± 0.11g 100 g[-1]), ash (3.78 ± 0.85g 100 g[-1]) and water activity (0.23 ± 0.01Aw). Phytopigments, such as chlorophyll a (32.02 ± 0.15 mg/g), chlorophyll b (23.12 ± 0.30 mg/g), total carotenoids (3.13 ± 0.00 mg/g), c-phycocyanin (17.78 ± 0.26 mg/g), as well as vitamin B9 (0.5937 ± 0.52 µg/g) and antioxidant activity (25.21 ± 3.29%), were well retained. The microcapsules displayed a mean particle size of 2.18 ± 2.91 µm with a PDI of 0.795 ± 0.03. Morphological and structural analyses (SEM-EDS, FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis) confirmed electrostatic interactions within the wall matrix, promoting amorphization and stability. Overall, spray-drying microencapsulation of spirulina with maltodextrin effectively improved storage stability by lowering water activity.

Fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid, suffers from poor stability under light and heat, limiting its use in functional foods. To address this, we developed a multilayer emulsion-based gel microsphere system for enhanced protection and controlled intestinal delivery. Microspheres were fabricated using whey protein, corn oil with 5% fucoxanthin, and chitosan-sodium alginate shells, followed by Ca2+ cross-linking. Using Box-Behnken design, optimal conditions were determined: whey protein 2.3%, oil/water ratio 4:16, chitosan 2.0%, alginate 2.6%, and Ca2+ 4%, achieving 77.37% encapsulation efficiency. The system achieved targeted release: only 38.9% fucoxanthin was released during 12-h simulated intestinal digestion, versus 13.25% passive degradation of free fucoxanthin. Microspheres also improved photostability (73.89% vs. 46.55% retention) and preserved antioxidant activity (75.84% scavenging retention). These findings demonstrate that the multilayer microsphere system effectively overcomes fucoxanthin's stability limitations, offering a platform for site-specific delivery of hydrophobic bioactives.

COVID-19 crisis highlighted the importance of safe and efficient drug delivery approaches that enhances targeted therapy while minimising side effects. In the present study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles were prepared using desolvation method and explored as carriers for antiviral drugs like remdesivir, molnupiravir, hydroxychloroquine, and daclatasvir. Particle size measurements and electron microscopy confirmed formation of uniformly dispersed spherical nanoparticles, diameters ranging between 39 and 100 nm. Drug incorporation into BSA nanoparticles induced changes in the polydispersity index, indicating drug-specific differences in particle distribution and system uniformity. Both blank and drug-loaded formulations exhibited negative zeta potentials with irregular shifts as protein concentration increased. Encapsulation efficiency remained nearly constant across formulations F-1 to F-4, suggesting early saturation of drug-protein interaction sites and efficient loading at lower BSA levels. Results from formulation F-2 indicated that drug release patterns were influenced more by the intrinsic physicochemical characteristics of the drug than by nanoparticle characteristics.

This systematic and bibliometric review aims to evaluate the use of yacon in the encapsulation of bioactives and to identify research hotspots in this field over the last 10 years. The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Out of an initial pool of 770 articles, only six original studies published in English between 2015 and 2024 were selected. Most of the included studies focused on yacon encapsulated as juice or extract using the spray-drying technique. The encapsulation efficiency reported in these studies ranged from 41.5% to 85.49%, with particle size <100μm. The findings indicated that encapsulation did not compromise the antioxidant activity of the compounds. The bibliometric analysis highlighted keyword co-occurrence and co-authorship networks. This review demonstrated that encapsulation and wall materials effectively preserve bioactive compounds, supporting the potential of encapsulated yacon for prebiotic functional applications.