and Bohn 2018). Encapsulation can prevent in vitro or in vivo degradation of
bioactive compounds against these factors.
(c) Taste masking: Food or therapeutic applications of several phytochemicals
have been limited by their unpleasant flavor, astringency, and bitter taste (De Souza
et al. 2020). Encapsulation can eliminate this problem as the bioactive compound is
not in contact with the taste buds located in the oral cavity. For instance,
microencapsulation of quercetin with carnauba wax, shellac, or zein was able to
reduce or mask the bitter taste of the compound (Khor et al. 2017), while the flavor
of turmeric extract was effectively masked by brown rice flour and
b-cyclodextrin-based microcapsules (Laokuldilok et al. 2016).
(d) Improvement of physicochemical properties: Micro- or nanoencapsulation
offers the opportunity to improve the overall physicochemical properties such as
morphology and wettability, presenting bioactive compounds into spherical, uniform size, and free-flowing powders which also facilitate their processing during
manufacturing (Bertoni et al. 2019; Dima et al. 2016; Lu et al. 2011). Such
improvement in powder flow property reduces the possibility of variation in the
quality of the end products (Guajardo-Flores et al. 2015). Dissolution rate of poorly
aqueous-soluble phytochemicals such as naringin and quercetin has also been
reported to be enhanced by 20–55% (Pai et al. 2015) and 100 times (Barras et al.
2009), respectively, probably due to the dispersion of the bioactive compound in
amorphous form within the matrix.
(e) Controlled or targeted release of bioactive compounds: Encapsulation
enables controlled and targeted release of the encapsulated bioactive molecules,
protecting against degradation and first-pass metabolism while enhancing their
bioactivity following oral administration (Goiun 2004; Moreno et al. 2018; Sun
et al. 2015; Yao et al. 2015) (Table 20.1).
20.3 Encapsulation of Bioactive Compounds
20.3.1 Microencapsulation
Microencapsulation is one of the most common methods employed to provide wide
range of functionalities including protection of bioactive compounds against
environmental factors and to enhance their bioavailability (Table 20.2). It is also
possible to encapsulate bioactive oils such as essential oils and is a means of
converting these oils into free-flowing powders which facilitate its handling, stability, and bioactivities. Due to their small and uniform particle size, microcapsules
are distributed homogenously along the GI tract which promote absorption of their
encapsulated compounds and enhance oral bioavailability (Lengyel et al. 2019).
Various methods such as spray drying (Boonchu and Utama-ang 2015), spray
congealing (Tomsik et al. 2019), coacervation phase separation (Silva et al. 2011;
Jain et al. 2015), solvent evaporation (Paulo and Santos 2018; Sawale et al. 2017),
20 Encapsulation of Bioactive Compound and Its Therapeutic Potential
691
bioactive compounds against these factors.
(c) Taste masking: Food or therapeutic applications of several phytochemicals
have been limited by their unpleasant flavor, astringency, and bitter taste (De Souza
et al. 2020). Encapsulation can eliminate this problem as the bioactive compound is
not in contact with the taste buds located in the oral cavity. For instance,
microencapsulation of quercetin with carnauba wax, shellac, or zein was able to
reduce or mask the bitter taste of the compound (Khor et al. 2017), while the flavor
of turmeric extract was effectively masked by brown rice flour and
b-cyclodextrin-based microcapsules (Laokuldilok et al. 2016).
(d) Improvement of physicochemical properties: Micro- or nanoencapsulation
offers the opportunity to improve the overall physicochemical properties such as
morphology and wettability, presenting bioactive compounds into spherical, uniform size, and free-flowing powders which also facilitate their processing during
manufacturing (Bertoni et al. 2019; Dima et al. 2016; Lu et al. 2011). Such
improvement in powder flow property reduces the possibility of variation in the
quality of the end products (Guajardo-Flores et al. 2015). Dissolution rate of poorly
aqueous-soluble phytochemicals such as naringin and quercetin has also been
reported to be enhanced by 20–55% (Pai et al. 2015) and 100 times (Barras et al.
2009), respectively, probably due to the dispersion of the bioactive compound in
amorphous form within the matrix.
(e) Controlled or targeted release of bioactive compounds: Encapsulation
enables controlled and targeted release of the encapsulated bioactive molecules,
protecting against degradation and first-pass metabolism while enhancing their
bioactivity following oral administration (Goiun 2004; Moreno et al. 2018; Sun
et al. 2015; Yao et al. 2015) (Table 20.1).
20.3 Encapsulation of Bioactive Compounds
20.3.1 Microencapsulation
Microencapsulation is one of the most common methods employed to provide wide
range of functionalities including protection of bioactive compounds against
environmental factors and to enhance their bioavailability (Table 20.2). It is also
possible to encapsulate bioactive oils such as essential oils and is a means of
converting these oils into free-flowing powders which facilitate its handling, stability, and bioactivities. Due to their small and uniform particle size, microcapsules
are distributed homogenously along the GI tract which promote absorption of their
encapsulated compounds and enhance oral bioavailability (Lengyel et al. 2019).
Various methods such as spray drying (Boonchu and Utama-ang 2015), spray
congealing (Tomsik et al. 2019), coacervation phase separation (Silva et al. 2011;
Jain et al. 2015), solvent evaporation (Paulo and Santos 2018; Sawale et al. 2017),
20 Encapsulation of Bioactive Compound and Its Therapeutic Potential
691