Preparation and Characterization of alpha-Tocopherol-Loaded Nano-Lipid Carriers: Effect of Lipid Type and Carrier Oil Content

Nano lipid carriers for encapsulating alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TC) were successfully fabricated using the hot homogenization method. The effect of oil content and type of lipid on the physicochemical properties of different formulations were investigated. The results showed that alpha-TC nanocarriers exhibited a small particle size (259.2-379 nm), narrow PolyDispersity Index (PDI) (0.178-0.432), and high Entrapment Efficiency (EE) (95.73-99.22%). Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC) of Compritol containing 45% corn oil (alpha-TC-NC45) was selected as the optimum formulation due to its smaller particle size as well as PDI and higher EE. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) data revealed a low degree of crystallinity for alpha-TC-NC45 with two crystal forms of alpha and beta'. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images also revealed an almost spherical morphology for the particles. The alpha-TC-NC45 was stable concerning particle size, PDI, and EE during a 3-month storage at both 4 and 25 degrees C. The results suggested that nanostructured lipid carrier of Compritol containing 45% corn oil may be an appropriate delivery system for food and beverage fortification with alpha-tocopherol.