International Journal of Nanomedicine (Aug 2024)
Nanoparticle Encapsulation of the Hexane Fraction of Cyperus Rotundus Extract for Enhanced Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities in vitro
Abstract
Chaehyun Kim,1,2 Sangwoo Kim,1,3 Ah-Reum Jung,4 Jun-Hwan Jang,4,5 Juntae Bae,4 Won II Choi,1 Daekyung Sung1 1Center for Bio-Healthcare Materials, Bio-Convergence Materials R&D Division, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Cheongju, 28160, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Applied Bioengineering, Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea; 4J2K-Metabiome, J2KBIO, Cheongju, 28104, Republic of Korea; 5College of Pharmacy, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of KoreaCorrespondence: Daekyung Sung, Center for Bio-Healthcare Materials, Bio-Convergence Materials R&D Division, Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology, Cheongju, 28160, Republic of Korea, Tel +82-43-913-1511, Fax +82-43-913-1597, Email [email protected]: Cyperus rotundus L. (CR) is traditionally used in medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. In particular, α-cyperone, which is isolated from the essential oil and found primarily in the n-hexane fraction of the ethanolic extract, is known to inhibit NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. However, high concentrations of α-cyperone are required for sufficient anti-inflammatory activity. Even, essential oil obtained from C. rotundus has the disadvantage of low solubility and stability in aqueous environment, which makes it difficult to be applied in various fields and easily loses its activity. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to increase the extraction yield of C. rotundus by microbubble extraction and prepare nanoparticles (NPs) that can preserve its activity in a stable and bioavailable manner by utilizing nanoprecipitation.Methods: C. rotundus rhizomes were extracted in 50% ethanol using microbubbles and then fractionated with n-hexane to obtain α-cyperone-rich C. rotundus n-hexane fraction (CRHF). The biodegradable plant extract, α-cyperone, was prepared as green nanoparticles (CR@NPs) by nanoprecipitation technique under mild reaction conditions. The physicochemical properties of CR@NPs, including size, polydispersity index, and surface charge, were determined using dynamic light scattering. The extraction yield and encapsulation efficiency of α-cyperone were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated by DPPH assay and in vitro ROS and NO assays, and biocompatibility was assessed by MTT assay.Results: C. rotundus loaded nanoparticles demonstrated overcoming the limitation of α-cyperone solubility and stability in CRHF and also the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties as evidenced by in vitro assays in cellular models.Conclusion: The versatility of green chemistry, such as α-cyperone, enables the production of nanoparticles with promising biomedical applications such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and food products.Keywords: α-cyperone, solubilization, nanoparticle, encapsulation, nanoprecipitation, SJC-clearsol D
