Development of Herbosomes for the effective delivery of ellagitannins from the extract of Punica granatum

Abstract

The main aim of the present research work was to develop herbosomes from standardized pomegranate extract and compare its pharmacokinetic parameters and in vivo antioxidant activity with those of the conventional standardized pomegranate extract. newlineThe plant part selected for extraction was rinds as ellagitannins and other polyphenols (known active bioconstituents) are known be concentrated here. Also, rinds are by-product of juice industry. After authenticating the samples of pomegranate and performing the physico-chemical tests of quality and purity as per Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, extraction of pomegranate rinds was carried out using methanol. The extract was further concentrated by column chromatography using a hydrophobic adsorbent resin as a stationary phase (Resin PA-800, Ion Exchange India). In past the resin amberlite ®XAD-16 has been used for the same purpose. Indion® PA 800 is less expensive and was used for the first time to concentrate the pomegranate rind extract. The sugars were removed and the adsorbed tannins were then eluted out with methanol and further concentrated using rotary evaporator. An analytical method for quantification of punicalagins was developed using HPLC and validated. This method was used to quantify punicalagins in the prepared extract. This extract standardized to the content of punicalagins (30.77 %w/w) was named as standardized pomegranate extract (SPE). newlineHerbosomes of SPE were developed using three natural phospholipids, two from soybeans and one from egg. Soya phospholipids were in the form of soya lecithin LECIVA-S35H containing Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine 35 % and LECIVA-S70 Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine 70 %). Egg phospholipids were in the form of egg lecithin, LIPOVA-E120 (Purified Egg Lecithin) fat free egg lecithin with 80% phosphatidylcholine. Above phospholipids were mixed with standardized pomegranate extract different molar proportions (0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1 and 2:1) in dioxane methanol mixture followed by spray drying.