Characterization, stability and activity of apigenin-gelatin nanoparticles prepared by pH-driven method

Apigenin(AP) exhibits significant biological activities and pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its application is limited by its low solubility, poor bioavailability, and instability. Gelatin is commonly used as a drug delivery carrier. In this study, apigenin-gelatin nanoparticles(AP-GNPs) were prepared using a pH-driven method to better explore the practical applications of AP. Characterization of AP-GNPs using FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TEM revealed that apigenin was bound to gelatin via hydrogen bonding and encapsulated within, forming a spherical amorphous structure.The particle size, PDI, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and loading content of AP-GNPs were 365.3 ± 7.7 nm, 0.209 ± 0.022, −11.53 ± 0.82 mV, 83.7 ± 2.2 %, and 9.3 ± 0.3 %, respectively. Stability tests and gastrointestinal simulation digestion experiments demonstrated that AP-GNPs exhibited superior stability, solubility, and bioaccessibility compared to AP. Additionally, AP-GNPs provided protection against AAPH-induced erythrocyte haemolysis and showed inhibitory effects on the activities of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. In summary, the significant enhancement of the solubility, stability, and bioaccessibility of AP by AP-GNPs offers novel insights for the extensive application of apigenin in the pharmaceutical and food industries.