Preparation and characterization of glutamine/chito-oligosaccharide modified zein nanoparticles: Controlled release naringin and anti-diabetes

In this study, we employed FDA-approved food-grade zein to address the issue of poor water solubility of Naringin (Nar) through self-assembly into pH-responsive oral zein nanoparticles with active intestinal absorption. Subsequently, a detailed analysis of the nanoparticles was conducted using a series of characterization tools, as well as in vivo and in vitro experiments. The research results show that the diameter of the nanoparticles is about 116 nm, which is in line with the theory of oral drugs. The loading efficiency of nanoparticles reached 88.25 %, and the release of Naringin in simulated intestinal fluid environment was as high as 94.75 %, indicating that nanoparticles have certain intestinal permeability and significantly improve the oral bioavailability of Naringin. This eco-friendly synthesis process yields food-grade nanoparticles that have the potential to be used as food additives or pharmaceuticals, and may even pave the way for treatments targeting type 2 diabetes and hepatic steatosis.