Microcapsule Carrier Effects Of Chitosan Microspheres On EGCG

Public and scientific interest has been greatly intensified in the microcapsule carrier effects of chitosan microspheres on polyphenols with unstable physicochemical properties in recent years. In this paper, we synthesized chitosan microspheres and further investigated their microcapsule carrier effects on (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).Chitosan microspheres encapsulated EGCG were prepared by the emulsion-crosslinking method, using chitosan solution of ethylic acid as water phase, liquid paraffin as oil phase, Span80 as emulsifier, EGCG as core material, and glutaraldehyde as crosslinking agent. The microspheres' particle size distribution and surface morphology were characterized by optical microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When Voil:Vwater is 9:1. the volume of glutaraldehyde is 1%(v/v), reaction time is 4 h, and reaction temperature is 60℃, chitosan microspheres are mellow, smooth and homogeneous.Further studies on encapsulation efficiency, release and antioxidant activity of EGCG in chitosan microspheres were carried out. The encapsulation efficiency of EGCG in chitosan microspheres was achieved about 80%. EGCG release in pH 7.4 from chitosan microspheres obtained with different conditions exhibited different behaviors. The free radical scavenging activity test of EGCG in chitosan microspheres indicated that chitosan microspheres used as the microcapsule carrier had important effect on the antioxidant function of EGCG.