Chitosan-glycolipid nanocarriers improve the bioavailability of fucoxanthin via up-regulation of PPARγ and SRB1 and antioxidant activity in rat model

- Plasma FUCO levels were higher in CS-NGs + GL group compared to other groups.
- First report demonstrating an active absorption of FUCO through PPARγ and SRB1.
- Higher FUCO lead to higher activity of antioxidant enzymes in CS-NGs + FUCO + GL.

In this study, we have hypothesized that fucoxanthin (FUCO) absorption from nanogels (NGs) may increase. CS-NGs were prepared by using chitosan (CS) with/without GL and studied (i) the FUCO bioavailability upon a single (48 h), repeated (14 d) and dietary (one month) feeding, (ii) the agonistic property of FUCO and GL on PPARγ and SRB1 expressions to examine active absorption of FUCO. In single (pmol/mL/48 h) and repeated dose (nmol/mL) study, plasma FUCO was higher by 38.8, 227.5% and 73.3, 292.4% in CS-NGs + GL compared to CS-NGs (−GL) and control groups. In dietary study, plasma FUCO (nmol/mL) was higher by 57.5, 400 and 287% in CS-NGs + GL compared to CS-NGs (−GL), seaweed and control groups. Increased PPARγ expression was evident in CS-NGs + GL group depicting GL and FUCO acts an agonist. This is the first report demonstrating advantage of CS-NGs + GL for improved FUCO bioavailability via passive and active transport through PPARγ mediated SRB1 activation.