Influence of triacylglycerol on the physical stability and digestion fate of triacylglycerol-bergamot mixed-oil emulsions with nobiletin

Nobiletin is a citrus flavonoid with poor water solubility, which limits its application. To investigate the effects of emulsions on the bioavailability of nobiletin, long-chain triglycerides (LCT, i.e., corn oil) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) were used in combination with bergamot oil at different mixing ratios (i.e., 1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1) as the oil phase to produce nobiletin-encapsulating emulsions by high-pressure homogenization. The emulsion stability, digestion fate, and bioavailability of nobiletin were systematically investigated. The results showed that triacylglycerol-bergamot oil at the ratio of 1:3 was the most stable. The hydrolysis rate of triacylglycerol-bergamot oil emulsions increased with increasing triacylglycerol: bergamot oil ratio. The total bioavailability of nobiletin in corn oil-bergamot oil emulsions was higher than that of pure bergamot oil and MCT-bergamot oil emulsions during in vitro digestion, due to the higher hydrolysis rate of corn oil-bergamot oil and greater solubilization capacity of micelles formed by bile salts and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) from corn oil. Nobiletin bioavailability was highest in the 3:1 corn oil: bergamot oil emulsion. This simulated digestion study may be useful for designing emulsion-based delivery systems to control the bioavailability of hydrophobic nutrients.

Automated summary

The study found that using corn oil-bergamot oil emulsions can increase the bioavailability of Nobiletin, with the 1:3 triacylglycerol-bergamot oil ratio being the most stable and the highest bioavailability observed in the 3:1 corn oil: bergamot oil emulsion.