Oil transfer converts phosphatidylcholine vesicles into nonlamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline particles.

There is a need for the development of low-energy dispersion methods tailored to the formation of phospholipid-based nonlamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) particles for delivery system applications. Here, facile formation of nonlamellar LLC particles was obtained by simple mixing of a phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposome solution and an oil-in-water emulsion, with limonene or isooctane as an oil. The internal structure of the particles was controlled by the PC-to-oil ratio, consistently with the sequence observed in bulk phase. For the first time, reverse micellar cubosomes with Fm3̅m inner structure were produced. The size, morphology, and inner structure of the particles were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and freeze-fracture cryo scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). These findings pave the way to new strategies in low-energy formulation of LLC delivery systems.

Viscoelasticity and interface bending properties of lecithin reverse wormlike micelles studied by diffusive wave spectroscopy in hydrophobic environment.

Upon the addition of minute quantities of water into a phosphatidylcholine (PC) solution in certain organic solvents, PC micelles elongate into giant reverse wormlike micelles that entangle and form highly viscous microemulsions, called lecithin organogels. We investigated the microrheological properties of concentrated PC-cyclohexane reverse wormlike micellar systems by diffusive wave spectroscopy (DWS) in apolar medium, combined with bulk shear rheology. We applied DWS to our oil-continuous system by using hydrophobic poly(hydroxystearic acid)-grafted PMMA particles as monodisperse tracer particles. Relevant parameters such as the micellar scission energy and persistence length were extracted from the microrheology data and interpreted according to the sphere-to-rod-to-sphere structural transition. On the basis of these quantities, we calculated the bending and saddle-splay moduli of the PC-covered water-cyclohexane interface. This approach represents a new method for the quantitative estimation of these fundamental parameters, which are thought to underpin the self-assembly of surfactants.

Facile dispersion and control of internal structure in lyotropic liquid crystalline particles by auxiliary solvent evaporation.

Submicron sized, structured lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) particles, so-called hexosomes and cubosomes, are generally obtained by high energy input dispersion methods, notably ultrasonication and high-pressure emulsification. We present a method to obtain dispersions of such LLC particles with a significantly reduced energy input, by evaporation of an auxiliary volatile solvent immiscible with water, e.g. cyclohexane or limonene. The inner structure of the particles can be precisely controlled by the addition of a nonvolatile oil, such as α-tocopherol or tetradecane consistently with bulk phase diagrams,. Two different lyotropic surfactants were employed, industrial grade monolinoleine (MLO) and soy bean phosphatidylcholine (PC). The lyotropic surfactant and oil phase modifier were first dissolved in the volatile solvent to give a liquid reverse micellar (L2) phase, which requires significantly less energy input to be dispersed in an aqueous solution of secondary emulsifier compared to the corresponding gel-like bulk mesophase. The auxiliary volatile solvent was then removed from the emulsion by evaporation at room temperature, yielding LLC particles of the desired inner structure, Pn3̅m, H2, or Fd3̅m. The obtained particles were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Our method enables fine-tuning of the final particle size through the volatile-to-nonvolatile volume ratio and processing conditions.

Vitamin E and vitamin E acetate absorption from self-assembly systems under pancreas insufficiency conditions.

We determined the bioavailability of vitamin E from self-assembly structures in patients with diagnosed chronic pancreas insufficiency. Vitamin E solubilized in dispersed inverted bicontinuous cubic phase and in micellar formulation was delivered directly to the small intestine by tube-feeding. A cross-over study with randomization of 6 subjects and 2 treatments including a combined dose of 18 mg (27 IU) of vitamin E (RRR-[5,7-methyl-((2)H6)]-α-tocopherol) and 27 mg (27 IU) vitamin E acetate (RRR-[5-methyl-(2)H3]-α-tocopheryl acetate) was applied over a time period of 1 h. Plasma samples were collected for 56 h and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Appearance of labeled tocopherols originating from the treatment started at 25 h and reached Cmax (0.6-4.6 µM depending on subject) in the 7-9 h window. From the Tmax onwards, both forms of tocopherols diminished slowly to 30-50% of their maxima within 56 h. Strong inter-individual variation was observed in the plasma appearance curves (relative standard deviation varied between 38-45%). No significant discrimination was found between the absorption of free or acetylated forms of deuterated α-tocopherol confirming that application of acetylated α-tocopherol provides the same bioavailability as free α-tocopherol. This observation is valid in both dispersed inverted bicontinuous cubic phase and micellar formulations. Furthermore, since the area-under-the-curve values from cubic phase and from micellar formulations are similar, the cubic phase formulation could represent an alternative delivery system for lipophilic micronutrients in conditions or studies where polysorbate-based micelles cannot be generated.

Understanding mechanisms behind the oily mouthcoating perception of pure vegetable oils using tribology.

Tribology is the science of measuring friction between surfaces. While it has been widely used to investigate texture sensations of food applications, it is seldom applied in pure edible oil systems. In this research, we measured friction, viscosity, and solid fat content (SFC) of nine vegetable oils at 30 and 60°C. Polarized static microscopy was used to assess crystal formation between 60 and 30°C. Descriptive sensory analysis and quantification of oral oil coatings were performed on the oils at 60°C. Expressing the friction factor of oil over the Hersey number (calculated using high sheer-viscosity values) showed no differences in friction between 30 and 60°C, except for shea stearin. Static microscopy revealed crystallization occurred at 30°C for shea stearin, whereas no or few crystals were present for other oils. At 30°C, friction at 1 × 10-2 m/s showed an inverse correlation with SFC (R = -0.95) and with high shear rate viscosity (R = -0.84), as well as an inverse correlation (R = -0.73) with "oily mouthcoating" perception. These results suggest that friction could be a predictor of fat-related perceptions of simple oil systems. Additionally, we hypothesize that the presence of crystals in oils could lower friction via a ball-bearing lubrication mechanism.

A reverse micellar mesophase of face-centered cubic Fm3m symmetry in phosphatidylcholine/water/organic solvent ternary systems.

We report the formation of a reverse micellar cubic mesophase of symmetry Fm3m (Q(225)) in ternary mixtures of soy bean phosphatidylcholine (PC), water, and an organic solvent, including cyclohexane, (R)-(+)-limonene, and isooctane, studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and oscillatory shear rheology at room temperature. The mesophase structure consists of a compact packing of remarkably large reverse micelles in a face-centered cubic (fcc) lattice, a type of micellar packing not yet reported for reverse micellar mesophases. Form factor fitting in the pure L2 phase and in the Fm3m-L2 coexistence region yields quantitative estimations of the PC interface rigidity. The compact Fm3m structure results mainly from release of lipid tail frustration and hard-sphere interactions between monodisperse micelles, as suggested by a comparison with the Fd3m structure found in the PC/water/α-tocopherol system.

Self-assembled structures and pKa value of oleic acid in systems of biological relevance.

In the human digestion process, triglycerides are hydrolyzed by lipases to monoglycerides and the corresponding fatty acids. Here we report the self-assembly of structures in biologically relevant, emulsified oleic acid-monoolein mixtures at various pH values and oleic acid concentrations. Small-angle X-ray scattering, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering were used to investigate the structures formed, and to follow their transitions while these factors were varied. The addition of oleic acid to monoolein-based cubosomes was found to increase the critical packing parameter in the system. Structural transitions from bicontinuous cubosomes through hexosomes and micellar cubosomes (Fd3m symmetry) to emulsified microemulsions occur with increasing oleic acid concentration. At sufficiently high oleic acid concentration, the internal particle structure was also found to strongly depend on the pH of the aqueous phase: transformations from emulsified microemulsion through micellar cubosomes, hexosomes, and bicontinuous cubosomes to vesicles can be observed as a function of increasing pH. The reversible transition from liquid crystals to vesicles occurs at intestinal pH values (between pH 7 and 8). The hydrodynamic radius of the particles decreases from around 120 nm for internally structured particles to around 60 nm for vesicles. All transitions with pH are reversible. Finally, the apparent pK(a) for oleic acid in monoolein could be determined from the change of structure with pH. This value is within the physiological pH range of the intestine and depends somewhat on composition.

Influence of the stabilizer concentration on the internal liquid crystalline order and the size of oil-loaded monolinolein-based dispersions.

The internal phase of monolinolein-based dispersions loaded with tetradecane or (R)-(+)-limonene was investigated as a function of the stabilizer content by small-angle X-ray scattering. Phase transitions at the colloidal scale were found in some of nanostructured aqueous dispersions by increasing the stabilizer content. For particles containing a bicontinuous cubic phase, a large increase of the stabilizer concentration promoted a liquid crystalline phase transition from the Pn3m to the Im3m cubic symmetry. The coexistence of both phases is observed in an intermediate stabilizer concentration range. For particles with an internal micellar cubic Fd3m symmetry, the internal structure changes in the isotropic fluid L(2) phase. In case of particles with an internal hexagonal phase (H(2) symmetry), the increasing amount of stabilizer did not alter the lattice parameter but decreased the size of the nanostructured domain. Moreover, we showed for hexagonal and emulsified micellar phase particles that the increase of the stabilizer content induced a strong decrease of the mean hydrodynamic size of the particles, allowing producing nanostructured lipid-based liquid crystalline particles down to a radius of 70 nm at the same energy input.

Cereal bran protects vitamin A from degradation during simmering and storage.

Food supplementation with vitamin A is an efficient strategy to combat vitamin A deficiency. The stability of vitamin A during cooking and storage is, however, low. We here show that cereal bran protects retinyl palmitate (RP) during simmering and storage. Native wheat bran stabilized RP the most during simmering. About 75% RP was recovered after 120 min of cooking, while all RP was lost after 80 min in the absence of bran. Heat-treated rice bran protected RP the best during forced storage, with a 35% recovery after 8 weeks. RP was degraded entirely in the absence of bran in less than one week. Results suggested that the physical entrapment of oil within the large wheat bran particles protects RP from the action of water and pro-oxidants during simmering. During storage, the high amount and diversity of lipid components present in rice bran are presumably responsible for its protective effect.

Nature-Inspired Design and Application of Lipidic Lyotropic Liquid Crystals.

Amphiphilic lipids aggregate in aqueous solution into a variety of structural arrangements. Among the plethora of ordered structures that have been reported, many have also been observed in nature. In addition, due to their unique morphologies, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains, very high internal interfacial surface area, and the multitude of possible order-order transitions depending on environmental changes, very promising applications have been developed for these systems in recent years. These include crystallization in inverse bicontinuous cubic phases for membrane protein structure determination, generation of advanced materials, sustained release of bioactive molecules, and control of chemical reactions. The outstanding diverse functionalities of lyotropic liquid crystalline phases found in nature and industry are closely related to the topology, including how their nanoscopic domains are organized. This leads to notable examples of correlation between structure and macroscopic properties, which is itself central to the performance of materials in general. The physical origin of the formation of the known classes of lipidic lyotropic liquid crystalline phases, their structure, and their occurrence in nature are described, and their application in materials science and engineering, biology, medical, and pharmaceutical products, and food science and technology are exemplified.

Delayed volatile compound release properties of self-assembly structures in emulsions.

Temporal release and retention of aroma compounds from structured emulsions (where unsaturated monoglycerides are added to the oil) and conventional oil-in-water emulsions were studied using in vitro dynamic headspace analysis by proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry and static headspace analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Under dynamic conditions, the structured emulsion exhibited delayed release compared to the oil-in-water emulsion containing the same lipid content of 5%. The time to maximum concentration T max of amphiphilic and lipophilic aroma compounds increased by a factor of 1.2 (for 3 E-hexenal) to 1.9 (for octanal). The aroma release profile of the 5% lipid structured emulsion was close to that obtained for the oil-in-water emulsion containing 10% lipid. Under static conditions, the 5% lipid structured emulsion retained more of the most lipophilic aroma compounds than its counterpart 5% oil-in-water nonstructured emulsion. The present study provides potential solutions for modulating aroma release profiles of reduced-fat foods by self-assembly structures.

Model studies on the release of aroma compounds from structured and nonstructured oil systems using proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometry.

Relative retention, volatility, and temporal release of volatile compounds taken from aldehyde, ester, and alcohol chemical classes were studied at 70 degrees C in model systems using equilibrium static headspace analysis and real time dynamic headspace analysis. These systems were medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), sunflower oil, and two structured systems, i.e., water-in-oil emulsion and L2 phase (water-in-oil microemulsion). Hydrophilic domains of the emulsion type media retained specifically the hydrophilic compounds and alcohols. Four kinetic parameters characterizing the concentration- and time-dependent releases were extracted from the aroma release curves. Most of the kinetic parameter values were higher in structured systems than in oils particularly when using MCT. The oil nature was found to better control the dynamic release profiles than the system structures. The release parameters were well-related (i) to the volatile hydrophobicity as a function of the oil used and (ii) to the retention data in the specific case of the L2 phase due to a specific release behavior of alcohols.

Self-assembly of polar food lipids.

Polar lipids, such as monoglycerides and phospholipids, are amphiphilic molecules commonly used as processing and stabilization aids in the manufacturing of food products. As all amphiphilic molecules (surfactants, emulsifiers) they show self-assembly phenomena when added into water above a certain concentration (the critical aggregation concentration). The variety of self-assembly structures that can be formed by polar food lipids is as rich as it is for synthetic surfactants: micelles (normal and reverse micelles), microemulsions, and liquid crystalline phases can be formulated using food-grade ingredients. In the present work we will first discuss microemulsion and liquid crystalline phase formation from ingredients commonly used in food industry. In the last section we will focus on three different potential application fields, namely (i) solubilization of poorly water soluble ingredients, (ii) controlled release, and (iii) chemical reactivity. We will show how the interfacial area present in self-assembly structures can be used for (i) the delivery of functional molecules, (ii) controlling the release of functional molecules, and (iii) modulating the chemical reactivity between reactive molecules, such as aromas.

Strategies to limit colour changes when fortifying food products with iron.

Iron, vitamin A, zinc and iodine have been recognized to be the micronutrients with the largest deficiencies worldwide. Among these, iron is highly reactive and may lead to negatively perceived organoleptic changes in products such as dull colour and off-taste. The colour change originated in fortified fruit-containing food products was confirmed to be the result of the complexation of iron and polyphenols. Phenolic compounds with two or more vicinal hydroxy benzyl moieties in their structure, such as catechols and pyrogallols were investigated for their ability to give bathochromic shift phenomena when mixed with iron salts. Furthermore, strategies for limiting colour development were based on: 1) pH adjustment; 2) saturation of polyphenols with unreactive divalent metal ions; 3) suppression of iron reactivity through complexation. Some of these strategies showed a significant improvement in colour stability, with the best results achieved by the latter. The findings in model systems gave a good insight of the mechanisms involved in colour changes, and results were transferable to iron fortified banana puree.

Vitamin A degradation in triglycerides varying by their saturation levels.

Vitamin A deficiency has a widespread occurrence globally and is considered as one of the world's most serious health risk factors. Potential solutions to address this deficiency include dietary diversification or supplementation, but food fortification is generally accepted as the most cost-effective solution. The main issue with food fortification of this vitamin is related to its high instability in food matrices. Dilution of vitamin A in triglycerides is a natural and appropriate way to stabilize this compound. We show here that vitamin A palmitate stability increases with increasing concentration of triglycerides. Moreover, we found that vitamin A palmitate displays improved stability in more saturated oils. Using various temperatures, and Arrhenius plots of experiments performed at storage temperatures between 30°C and 60°C for oils varying by their saturation and crystallinity, we demonstrate that crystallization is not responsible for this phenomenon. Additionally, we show by centrifugation that vitamin A is preferably solubilized in the liquid phase compared to the crystalline phase, explaining that triglyceride crystallization does not stabilize vitamin A palmitate. It is proposed that unsaturated fats generate more oxidation products such as radicals and peroxides, leading to a quicker degradation of vitamin A.

Direct visualization of dispersed lipid bicontinuous cubic phases by cryo-electron tomography.

Bulk and dispersed cubic liquid crystalline phases (cubosomes), present in the body and in living cell membranes, are believed to play an essential role in biological phenomena. Moreover, their biocompatibility is attractive for nutrient or drug delivery system applications. Here the three-dimensional organization of dispersed cubic lipid self-assembled phases is fully revealed by cryo-electron tomography and compared with simulated structures. It is demonstrated that the interior is constituted of a perfect bicontinuous cubic phase, while the outside shows interlamellar attachments, which represent a transition state between the liquid crystalline interior phase and the outside vesicular structure. Therefore, compositional gradients within cubosomes are inferred, with a lipid bilayer separating at least one water channel set from the external aqueous phase. This is crucial to understand and enhance controlled release of target molecules and calls for a revision of postulated transport mechanisms from cubosomes to the aqueous phase.

Oil and drug control the release rate from lyotropic liquid crystals.

The control of the diffusion coefficient by the dimensionality d of the structure appears as a most promising lever to efficiently tune the release rate from lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) phases and dispersed particles towards sustained, controlled and targeted release. By using phosphatidylcholine (PC)- and monolinoleine (MLO)-based mesophases with various apolar structural modifiers and water-soluble drugs, we present a comprehensive study of the dimensional structural control of hydrophilic drug release, including 3-d bicontinuous cubic, 2-d lamellar, 1-d hexagonal and 0-d micellar cubic phases in excess water. We investigate how the surfactant, the oil properties and the drug hydrophilicity mitigate or even cancel the effect of structure variation on the drug release rate. Unexpectedly, the observed behavior cannot be fully explained by the thermodynamic partition of the drug into the lipid matrix, which points out to previously overlooked kinetic effects. We therefore interpret our results by discussing the mechanism of structural control of the diffusion rate in terms of drug permeation through the lipid membrane, which includes exchange kinetics. A wide range of implications follow regarding formulation and future developments, both for dispersed LLC delivery systems and topical applications in bulk phase.

Both free and esterified plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption and the bioavailability of beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol in normocholesterolemic humans.

BACKGROUND: Plant sterols reduce cholesterol absorption, which leads to a decrease in plasma and LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Plant sterols also lower plasma concentrations of carotenoids and alpha-tocopherol, but the mechanism of action is not yet understood. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this clinical study were to determine whether plant sterols affect the bioavailability of beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol in normocholesterolemic men and to compare the effects of plant sterol esters and plant free sterols on cholesterol absorption. DESIGN: Twenty-six normocholesterolemic men completed the double-blind, randomized, crossover study. Subjects consumed daily, for 1 wk, each of the following 3 supplements: a low-fat milk-based beverage alone (control) or the same beverage supplemented with 2.2 g plant sterol equivalents provided as either free sterols or sterol esters. During this 1-wk supplementation period, subjects consumed a standardized diet. RESULTS: Both of the milks enriched with plant sterols induced a similar (60%) decrease in cholesterol absorption. Plant free sterols and plant sterol esters reduced the bioavailability of beta-carotene by approximately 50% and that of alpha-tocopherol by approximately 20%. The reduction in beta-carotene bioavailability was significantly less with plant free sterols than with plant sterol esters. At the limit of significance (P = 0.054) in the area under the curve, the reduction in alpha-tocopherol bioavailability was also less with plant free sterols than with plant sterol esters. CONCLUSIONS: Both plant sterols reduced beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol bioavailability and cholesterol absorption in normocholesterolemic men. However, plant sterol esters reduced the bioavailability of beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol more than did plant free sterols.

Phospholipid-based nonlamellar mesophases for delivery systems: bridging the gap between empirical and rational design.

Phospholipids are ubiquitous cell membrane components and relatively well-accepted ingredients due to their natural origin. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) in particular offers a promising alternative to monoglycerides for lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) delivery system applications in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, provided its strong tendency to form zero-mean curvature lamellar mesophases in water can be overcome. Higher negative curvatures are usually reached through the addition of a third lipid component, forming a ternary diagram phospholipid/water/oil. The initial part of this work summarizes the potential advantages and the challenges of phospholipid-based delivery system applications. In the next part, various ternary PC/water/oil systems are discussed, with a special emphasis on the PC/water/cyclohexane and PC/water/α-tocopherol systems. We report that R-(+)-limonene has a quantitatively similar effect as cyclohexane. The last part is devoted to the theoretical interpretation of the observed phase behaviors. A fruitful parallel is drawn with PC polymer-like reverse micelles, leading to a thermodynamic description in terms of interfacial bending energy. Investigations at the molecular level are reviewed to help in bridging the empirical and theoretical approaches. Predictive rules are finally derived from this wide-ranging overview, thereby opening the way to a future rational design of PC-based LLC delivery systems.

Internally self-assembled particles entrapped in thermoreversible hydrogels.

The present study describes the development of thermogelling emulsions by the entrapment of internally self-assembled emulsion droplets (ISAsomes) within a thermoreversible hydrogel made of kappa-carrageenan. The droplets are emulsified mesophases of cubic or hexagonal order, or emulsified micro-emulsions. Above 60 degrees C, the system was fluid and composed of a mixture of internally nanostructured small droplets and polymer chains dispersed in water. Below 60 degrees C, a physical gel with entrapped droplets was formed. A tuning of the temperature in order to switch between the gel and solution state did not affect the particles in terms of size. The thermoreversible behavior of the loaded polymer network and the effects on the internal structure of cubosomes, hexosomes and emulsified micro-emulsions was investigated by SAXS. We showed that the phase borders may be shifted due to the presence of the kappa-carrageenan network, which alter the internal nanostructure of the droplets. This can induce a transformation from emulsified micro-emulsions to micellar cubosomes. In the hexagonal case, the lattice parameters of the hexosomes are slightly modified.