Hyaluronic Acid Poly(glyceryl)10-Stearate Derivatives: Novel Emulsifiers for Improving the Gastrointestinal Stability and Bioaccessibility of Coenzyme Q10 Nanoemulsions

Fish oils are a rich source of polyunsaturatedfatty acids, includingeicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are reportedto exhibit therapeutic effects in a variety of human diseases. However,these oils are highly susceptible to degradation due to oxidation,leading to rancidity and the formation of potentially toxic reactionproducts. The aim of this study was to synthesize a novel emulsifier(HA-PG10-C18) by esterifying hyaluronic acid with poly(glyceryl)(10)-stearate (PG10-C18). This emulsifier was then used to formulatenanoemulsion-based delivery systems to co-deliver fish oil and coenzymeQ10 (Q10). Q10-loaded fish oil-in-water nanoemulsions were fabricated,and then their physicochemical properties, digestibility, and bioaccessibilitywere measured. The results indicated that the environmental stabilityand antioxidant activity of oil droplets coated with HA-PG10-C18 surpassedthose coated with PG10-C18 due to the formation of a denser interfaciallayer that blocked metal ions, oxygen, and lipase. Meanwhile, thelipid digestibility and Q10 bioaccessibility of nanoemulsions formulatedwith HA-PG10-C18 (94.9 and 69.2%) were higher than those formulatedwith PG10-C18 (86.2 and 57.8%), respectively. These results demonstratedthat the novel emulsifier synthesized in this study could be usedto protect chemically labile fat-soluble substances from oxidativedamage, while still retaining their nutritional value.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to synthesize a novel emulsifier (HA-PG10-C18) by esterifying hyaluronic acid with poly(glyceryl)(10)-stearate (PG10-C18), and use it to formulate nanoemulsion-based delivery systems for fish oil and coenzyme Q10 (Q10). The results showed that nanoemulsions formulated with HA-PG10-C18 exhibited improved stability, antioxidant activity, lipid digestibility, and Q10 bioaccessibility compared to those formulated with PG10-C18. This study demonstrated the potential of the synthesized emulsifier in protecting chemically labile fat-soluble substances and retaining their nutritional value.