Posted by Some recent papers have focused on bioactive products of bees, such as propolis and royal jelly encapsulated by cyclodextrin.
The aim of the work in cooperation of scientist from Sloven and Argentina was to establish experimental conditions to improve water solubility of poplar propolis components by complexation with β-cyclodextrin (BCD) [1]. Water sorption properties, stability constants and thermodynamic parameters of the encapsulation process were studied. Propolis greatly modified BCD sorption isotherms, being water sorption lower in propolis-BCD system. These results are consistent with the displacement of water molecules from the inner cavity of the BCD by propolis components and evidence propolis component-BCD interactions. Results showed a positive linear relationship between phenolic compounds water solubility and the BCD amount in aqueous solution. The results could be of interest to develop aqueous propolis formulations avoiding the use of organic solvents and without undesirable tastes or flavors.
Royal jelly is a yellowish-white substance with a gel texture that is secreted from the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of young worker bees. It consists mainly of water (50–56%), proteins (18%), carbohydrates (15%), lipids (3–6%), minerals (1.5%), and vitamins, and has many beneficial properties such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, and anti-aging. Royal jelly has been used since ancient times in traditional medicine, cosmetics and as a functional food due to its high nutritional value. The main bioactive substances are royalactin, and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA). Other important bioactive molecules with antioxidant and photoprotective skin activity are polyphenols. However, they present difficulties in extraction and in use as they are unstable physicochemically, and a higher temperature causes color change and component degradation. In the present study, a new encapsulation and delivery system consisting of liposomes and cyclodextrins incorporating royal jelly has been developed. The new delivery system aims to the elimination of the stability disadvantages of royal jelly’s sensitive component 10-HDA, but also to the controlled release of its ingredients and, more particularly, 10-HDA, for an enhanced bioactivity in cosmeceutical applications.
[1] dos Santos Ferreira, C.I., Pereyra Gonzales, A., Mazzobre, M.F., Ulrih, N.P., del Pilar Buera, M. (2022) Solubility, sorption isotherms and thermodynamic parameters of β-cyclodextrin complexes with poplar propolis components: Practical implicances. LWT 167, 113811, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113811.
[2] Spanidi, E.; Athanasopoulou, S.; Liakopoulou, A.; Chaidou, A.; Hatziantoniou, S.; Gardikis, K. Royal Jelly Components Encapsulation in a Controlled Release System—Skin Functionality, and Biochemical Activity for Skin Applications. Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15, 907. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph15080907