Vitamin E and Vitamin E acetate solubilization in mixed micelles: Physicochemical basis of bioaccessibility

• Emulsion titration assay quantified vitamin E solubilization in mixed micelles.
• Micelle composition mimicked lipid digestion products in small intestine.
• Solubilization capacity of micelles higher for vitamin E than vitamin E acetate.
• Solubilization capacity depended on micelle composition.
• This information useful for designing vitamin E delivery systems.

Vitamin E is an essential micronutrient for humans and animals due to its antioxidant and non-antioxidant biological activities. In this study, an emulsion titration assay was used to quantify the kinetics and extent of vitamin E and vitamin E acetate solubilization in model mixed micelles. The composition of the mixed micelles was designed to mimic those produced during digestion of lipids in the human small intestine: bile salts, phospholipids, and free fatty acids. Initially, the optimum conditions required to form model mixed micelles were established. The solubilization capacities of vitamin E and vitamin E acetate in the mixed micelles were then compared. The solubilization capacity of the mixed micelles for vitamin E was higher than that for vitamin E acetate, which was attributed to differences in the ability of the vitamin molecules to be incorporated into the micelle structure. The solubilization capacities also depended on the composition of the mixed micelles: micelle solubilization of vitamin E was increased by the presence of phospholipid (DOPC), but did not depend strongly on the presence of free fatty acid (octanoic acid or linoleic acid). Overall, this research has important implications for understanding the digestion, absorption, and transportation of vitamin E in the human gastrointestinal tract and for designing suitable delivery systems to increase its bioaccessibility.

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