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 Ca[2+] 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 Ca[2+] 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.

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have emerged as a promising approach to improve the stability and dermal delivery of retinyl palmitate (RP), a widely used anti-ageing ingredient. This study developed RP-loaded NLCs using the phase inversion temperature method for topical delivery. In this study, RP was encapsulated into NLCs prepared by the phase inversion temperature method. The optimised formulation comprised 2% polysorbate 20, a 5:5 ratio of glyceryl monostearate to cetyl palmitate, and a 6:4 solid-to-liquid lipid ratio. The resulting RP-NLCs displayed favourable physicochemical properties, including a particle size of 119.0 ± 3.7 nm, polydispersity index of 0.039 ± 0.005, zeta potential of -22.6 ± 0.6 mV, and high encapsulation efficiency (94.49 ± 0.01%). The nanoparticles were spherical with a low recrystallinity index (10.98%). RP-NLCs significantly enhanced skin penetration, and the 0.1% RP-NLC gel demonstrated good occlusive ability, supporting their potential in advanced anti-ageing formulations.

Nanotechnology is widely explored in biomedical fields, especially for cancer therapy and antioxidant applications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesised using plant extracts offer a green and eco-friendly alternative to chemical methods. While AgNPs have been synthesised from many medicinal plants, there are no prior reports on the biosynthesis of AgNPs from the critically endangered Himalayan herb Swertia chirayita, a phytochemical-rich plant containing unique xanthones, iridoids, and secoiridoid glycosides and their application against lung cancer cells. This study reports, for the first time, the biosynthesis of AgNPs using S. chirayita aqueous extract and evaluates their antioxidant and anticancer potential. AgNPs were characterised by UV-Vis, XRD, FESEM, and EDAX. Antioxidant activity was measured by DPPH assay, while cytotoxicity against A549 lung cancer cells was assessed using MTT assay and AO/EtBr staining to observe apoptosis. AgNPs exhibited an IC50 of 40.61 µg/mL, demonstrating strong antioxidant and apoptosis-inducing anticancer effects.

Porous starch is a modified form of starch, distinguished by numerous pores extending towards central cavities. The article delineates various methods for producing porous starch, including physical, chemical, enzymatic, and synergistic approaches. The paper further explores the encapsulation potential of porous starch, discussing its applications in various fields. It addresses the encapsulation of curcumin, anthocyanins, probiotics, flavours, essential oils, and pharmaceuticals. A comparison between modified starch and porous starch as encapsulation matrices in spray drying is also provided, emphasising the advantages of porous starch in terms of encapsulation efficiency and yield through combining porous starch with other materials, such as whey protein or gum arabica. The article also underscores the need for further exploration of alternative starch sources, such as lotus stem, water chestnut, and foxnuts, for porous starch production, thereby opening new avenues for research and application in this field.

This study aimed to enhance the stability and achieve controlled release of Pistacia lentiscus essential oil (PLEOs) via microencapsulation using a sodium alginate-gelatine complex coacervation system. Chemical composition of PLEOs was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Microcapsules were characterised using Fourier-transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Optimised PLEOs microcapsules exhibited a zeta potential of -28.33 ± 0.90 mV, encapsulation efficiency (93.28 ± 0.31% w/w), retention efficiency (95.30 ± 0.11% w/w), and particle diameters from 10 to 40 µm. Thermal stability was significantly improved, with the degradation stage shifting from 110-340 ± 5 °C for PLEOs to 200-370 ± 5 °C after encapsulation. Antioxidant activity of PLEOs microcapsules increased to 56.0 ± 3.1%. In vitro digestion showed pH-dependent sustained release (15-60% w/w over 200 min; R[2] ≥ 0.95). These findings demonstrate that complex coacervation effectively protects PLEOs and ensures controlled release.

Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a global threat, worsened by MDR/XDR strains. Conventional therapies suffer from poor compliance, toxicity, and targeting. Nanotechnology-driven systems enhance bioavailability, targeting, and treatment efficacy. This review explores recent advances in novel drug delivery carriers for TB, emphasising clinical trial progress and global patent trends. It highlights key innovations, emerging patterns, and existing translational gaps in the field. A thorough literature search (March 1, 2020-March 1, 2025) across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Patents) is conducted to compile recent data on nano-formulations for TB treatment. The review highlights key Novel drug delivery carriers (NDCs) and others-as promising TB treatments. Patent trends show growing global interest, particularly from countries such as India, the United States, and China. NDCs offer transformative potential for TB treatment, addressing traditional therapy limits. Advancing research and patents show growing adoption, clinical success studies and scalable production.

The study aimed to evaluate the in vitro activities of pink lotus essential oil (PLEO) and develop a PLEO-loaded hydrogel formulation to promote wound healing. The antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and cell proliferation and migration-promoting activities of PLEO were determined. PLEO was microencapsulated by β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and incorporated into a hydrogel matrix. The in vivo wound healing efficacy and underlying mechanisms of the hydrogel were examined in a mouse model. PLEO inhibited Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus epidermidis, suppressed LPS-induced secretion of inflammatory factors, while promoting proliferation and migration of HUVECs and HSFs cells. The prepared hydrogels loading PLEO microcapsules showed a good physicochemical properties, andmarkedly accelerated wound healing in mice and upregulated the expression of type Icollagen, α-SMA and VEGF, PI3K, p-Akt, and p-eNOS inwound tissues. The hydrogels containing PLEO microcapsules accelerates wound healing through activation of the PI3K/Akt/eNOS signaling pathway.