Self-nanoemulsifying particles of coenzyme Q10 with improved nutraceutical potential

The major purpose of the present study was to clarify the physicochemical and nutraceutical properties of self-nanoemulsifying particles of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10/SNEP). Nanoemulsion preconcentrate, containing CoQ10, medium-chain triglyceride, sucrose ester of fatty acid, and hydroxypropyl cellulose, was spray-dried to produce the CoQ10/SNEP. The CoQ10/SNEP was stored at 40 °C with or without 75% relative humidity (RH) for 4 weeks, and its physicochemical properties were characterized in terms of appearance, crystallinity, thermal behavior, dissolution, and self-nanoemulsifying potency. The hepatoprotective effects of CoQ10 and the CoQ10/SNEP were also assessed in a rat model of acute liver injury. Under accelerated conditions (40 °C/75% RH), the CoQ10/SNEP was found to be physicochemically unstable, as evidenced by partial deliquescence, slight degradation, reduced dissolution rate, and larger particle size of resultant micelles. In contrast, there appeared to be no significant transition in physicochemical properties of the CoQ10/SNEP after 4 weeks of storage at 40 °C. The outcomes from stability testing suggested that moisture protection would be needed for long-term storage of the CoQ10/SNEP. In a rat model of acute liver injury, pretreatment with CoQ10/SNEP (100 mg CoQ10/kg, twice) resulted in marked attenuation of hepatic damage as evidenced by decreases of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, surrogate biomarkers for hepatic injury, by 96% and 82%, respectively, although crystalline CoQ10 was less effective. From these findings, the self-nanoemulsifying approach might be efficacious for improving the nutraceutical values of CoQ10.