1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene (1,3,5-TMB) was used as the pore-enlarging modifier to expand the pore size of MCM-41 (mobil company of matter) mesoporous silica nanoparticles. The solvent impregnation method was adopted to assemble non-water-soluble β-carotene into the pore channel of MCM-41. The MCM-41 and drug assemblies were characterized by TEM, FT-IR, elemental analysis and N2 adsorption-desorption. The results showed that MCM-41 has good sphericity and regular pore structure. The research also investigated the optimal loading time, the drug loading and the vitro stability of the β-carotene. As a drug carrier, the modified MCM-41 showing a shorter drug loading time, the drug loading as high as 85.58% and the stability of β-carotene in drug assemblies has improved. The study of this new formulation provides a new way for β-carotene application.
Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Drug Stability ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Silicon Dioxide ; chemistry ; beta Carotene ; chemistry ; pharmacology

A derivative ratio spectrophotometric method was used for the simultaneous determination of beta-carotene and astaxanthin produced from Phaffia rhodozyma. Absorbencies of a series of the standard carotenoids in the range of 441 nm to 490 nm demonstrated that their absorptive spectra accorded with Beer's law and that the additivity when the concentrations of beta-carotene and astaxanthin and their mixture were within the range of 0 to 5 microg/ml, 0 to 6 microg/ml, and 0 to 6 microg/ml, respectively. When the wavelength interval (lambda) at 2 nm was selected to calculate the first derivative ratio spectra values, the first derivative amplitudes at 461 nm and 466 nm were suitable for quantitatively determining beta-carotene and astaxanthin, respectively. Effect of divisor on derivative ratio spectra could be neglected; any concentration used as divisor in range of 1.0 to 4.0 microg/ml is ideal for calculating the derivative ratio spectra values of the two carotenoids. Calibration graphs were established for beta-carotene within 0-6.0 microg/ml and for astaxanthin within 0-5.0 microg/ml with their corresponding regressive equations in: y=-0.0082x-0.0002 and y=0.0146x-0.0006, respectively. R-square values in excess of 0.999 indicated the good linearity of the calibration graphs. Sample recovery rates were found satisfactory (>99%) with relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 5%. This method was successfully applied to simultaneous determination of beta-carotene and astaxanthin in the laboratory-prepared mixtures and the extract from the Phaffia rhodozyma culture.
Algorithms ; Basidiomycota ; metabolism ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; methods ; Xanthophylls ; beta Carotene ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; chemistry

β-Carotene is one of the most abundant natural pigments in foods; however, usage of β-carotene is limited because of its instability. Microencapsulation techniques are usually applied to protect microencapsulated β-carotene from oxidization. In this study, β-carotene was microencapsulated using different drying processes: spray-drying, spray freeze-drying, coating, and spray granulation. The properties of morphology, particle size, water content, thermal characteristic, and chemical stability have been explored and compared. Scanning electron microscopy measurements showed that the coated powder had a dense surface surrounded by starch and suggested that the coating process gave a microencapsulated powder with the smallest bulk density and the best compressibility among the prepared powders. The chemical stabilities of microcapsules were evaluated during six months of storage at different temperatures. The coated powder had the highest mass fraction of β-carotene, which indicated that the coating process was superior to the three other drying processes.
Drug Compounding/methods* ; Drug Stability ; Freeze Drying ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; beta Carotene/chemistry*

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this investigation was to study the effects of fat-soluble extracts from vegetable powder (FEFVP) and beta-carotene on the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured YTMLC-90 lung cancer cells.

METHODSThe lung cancer cells were continuously exposed to a broad range of concentration of FEFVP and beta-carotene. The proliferation was evaluated in MTT test. The induction of apoptosis was evaluated by morphological change, DNA fragmentation analysis, and DNA content analysis combined with flow cytometric analysis.

RESULTSBoth FEFVP and beta-carotene were found to inhibit cell proliferation and to induce morphologic changes consistent with apoptosis in YTMLC-90 cancer cells, including cellular shrinkage, chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation. DNA agarose gel electrophoresis showed DNA fragmentation 'ladder'. Flow cytometric analysis revealed decreased DNA content and the presence of a sub-G1 apoptotic peak.

CONCLUSIONThese findings are consistent with the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, the effects of FEFVP are stronger than those of beta-carotene. FEFVP inhibits the growth of YTMLC-90 probably via the induction of apoptosis cancer cells.

Antioxidants ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Cell Division ; DNA Damage ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Powders ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vegetables ; chemistry ; beta Carotene ; pharmacology