- a nutraceutical ( substance with associated heath benefits ) - an antioxidant from

- a biomaterial used for microencapsulation - derived from cellulose and ethanol in the presence of dehydrating agents OR alkali cellulose and ethyl chloride from

CoQ10 tends to bunch together, making it hard to absorb in the intestine. Nanoencapsulation - separates individual molecules w/o altering its function - Increases bioavailability in the intestine

To determine physical properties of coenzyme Q10-loaded ethyl cellulose nanoparticles:  Particle size  % drug loading  UV stability  thermal stability

Langmuir, 2003, 19(22),

SEM images of EC microspheres For microencapsulation of aspirin, for drug delivery application [J. of Microencapsulation, 2001,18(2), ] For controlled release of a pesticide, norfluazon [Pest Management Science, 2001, 57: ]

Particle sizeThermal stability % drug loading Colloids and Surfaces A : Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2002, 210 (1):

coQ10 gives Absorbance at nm Solvents: methanol, ethanol, water ( mobile phase) Column: C18 from

 Prepare nanoparticles by solvent-evaporation method by Desgouilles [Langmuir, 2003,19(22), ] Vary the mass ratio of coQ10 to EC (20, 40, 50, 60, 80%)  Characterization of nanoparticles

by Dynamic Light Scattering scattering angle: 90° Temperature: 25 ° Hydrodynamic mean diameter and polydispersity, μ 2 /Γ 2, will be calculated by continuous method Light Scattering facility at UNC Chapel Hill

by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Hitachi HD 2000 Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope Specifications ( at NCSU Engineering Graduate Research Center) CapabilitiesBrightfield,Darkfield, Difraction z-contrast Accelerating Voltage 200 kV Magnification2,000,000 X SEI Resolution2.4 Angstroms from NCSU Analytical Instrumentation Facility website

Sample preparation: -Freeze dry the particles -Extract coQ10 with methylene chloride -Dissolve further in ethanol Quantitation of coQ10: -Prepare calibration solutions of coQ10 in ethanol -Plot peak areas vs concentrations of calibration solutions -Compute for the amount of coQ10 in sample from peak area From Sample calibration curve

Freeze dry the particles Expose the particles to UV ( nm) Extract the coQ10 Analyze by HPLC Chromatogram of coQ10 & degradation products ( from Michael Stiff, NCSU Crop Science Department)

Compare Tg and  H fusion for coQ10, EC and coQ10-EC particles TA2010 Thermal Analyzer (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE) Sample preparation: Freeze drying Thermal scan: Rate: 10° C per min Range: -10 to 160° C

ExperimentTechnique Particle Size DistributionDLS STEM Drug-loading EfficiencyHPLC UV Stability Thermal stabilityDSC