Chitosan-coated pectin beads: Characterization and in vitro release of mangiferin

Microspheres of low degree of esterification (DE) pectin with calcium and the same sphere coated with chitosan (PCaC) were prepared. The spheres have diameters in the range 650–680 μm. The layer of chitosan is about of 5–15 μm thick. To obtain firm and stable PCaC beads, chitosan was reacetylated. Two different degrees of acetylation, giving PCaC50 and PCaC80 were adopted. The beads were characterized by FTIR, SEM and swelling measurements. Mangiferin was loaded in PCaC reacetylated in two different ways: by addition in pectin solution (Mp) and by addition in CaCl2 solution (Mc). The yield in producing the beads, the efficiency in encapsulation and the content of mangiferin in beads were determined. A swelling kinetics study was done in simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH 1.2) and in simulated intestine fluid (SIF, pH 7.4). The release of mangiferin from the beads was performed in SGF followed by the release in SIF. Based on the yield and efficiency in encapsulation the best bead was found to be PCaC50-Mp. The highest release (7.8 mg of mangiferin/g of bead) was achieved by the PCaC50-Mc. For all beads more bioactive was released in SGF than in SIF.