Enhancing the bioavailability and activity of natural antioxidants with nanobubbles and nanoparticles

ABSTRACT

Objectives: Many polyphenols such as EGCG from green tea, curcumin, apigenin, resveratrol or the alkaloid berberine show in-vitro activity that is much higher than FDA and EU approved drugs. And yet, while mice studies show excellent results, human clinical trials have so far been quite disappointing.

Methods: In this review paper we accordingly present data from scientific literature and publicly available databases that support further development of nanoformulations for enhanced natural antioxidants bioavailability and activity.

Results: Nanobubbles, and nanoparticles may enhance the polyphenols bioavailability and special coatings can be used to avoid liver fast inactivation. Zeolites have also been tested as carriers for bioactive compounds from the Mediterranean food. Other polyphenols can be used with nanoemulsions for synergistic antioxidants treatment. Finally, nanobubbles in the presence of ferric or copper ions at low pH as in human stomach or lysosomes can produce small amount of hydroxyl radicals, stimulating activation of Nrf2 transcription factor and detox enzymes.

Discussion: A number of nanoformulations, including nanobubbles loaded with natural antioxidants may be used with low carbs and protein diet as a support to chemotherapy or treatment of advanced tumors. Good results in animal studies of neurodegenerative diseases and type II diabetes were also observed.

KEY POLICY HIGHLIGHTS

• Nanobubbles and nanoparticles may enhance the polyphenols’ bioavailability

• Nanobubbles may stimulate the activation of Nrf2 and detox enzymes

• Armoured oxygen nanobubbles may enhance radiotherapy or chemotherapy effects

KEYWORDS:

• Nanocarriers
• nanobubbles
• natural antioxidants
• bioavailability
• pro-oxidants
• zeolites

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

Conceptualization, MČ and KP; writing – original draft preparation, MČ, SKP, ŽP, AA; AB; writing – review and editing, KP; visualization SKP. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Data availability statement

All data and references used for the preparation of the manuscript have been derived from public domain resources.

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge the support of Clean Water Technology, Gardena, CA, 90249, USA and its parent company Marvin Group, Inglewood, CA 90302, California, USA. We would also like to thank the Croatian Government and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund—the Competitiveness and Cohesion Operational Program – KK.01.1.1.01) for funding this research through project Bioprospecting of the Adriatic Sea (KK.01.1.1.01.0002) granted to The Scientific Centre of Excellence for Marine Bioprospecting – BioProCro. We also acknowledge the University of Rijeka research grants UNIRI-biomed-18-133 and uniri-biomed-18-146.