Lau YT[1], Chen N[2], Ko KM[2], Ng KM[3]
[1] Bioengineering Graduate Program, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear water bay, Hong Kong SAR, China.
[2] Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear water bay, Hong Kong SAR, China.
[3] Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear water bay, Hong Kong SAR, China.
This study considered the design and process development of nanomized products in two product forms: nanoemulsion and nanodispersible solids. The effect of product formulation and processing conditions on product attributes such as particle size and appearance were studied using orange oil and Oil Red O as model compounds. The relationship between particle size and product quality in terms of bioactivity and bioavailability was illustrated using schisandrin B, a strong antioxidant, as a model drug. The bioactivity as measured by in vivo glutathione regeneration capacity assay of schisandrin B with an average size of 45 nm was nearly double that of the original coarse schisandrin B; the corresponding bioavailability as measured by the plasma schisandrin B level in an animal study was 14.5-fold higher.