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. 2018 Jun 19;8(2):41.
doi: 10.3390/biom8020041.

Pinocembrin⁻Lecithin Complex: Characterization, Solubilization, and Antioxidant Activities

Xu Yang  1 , Xin Wang  2 , Xiao-Yu Chen  3 , Hai-Yu Ji  4 , Yan Zhang  5 , An-Jun Liu  6
Affiliations

Pinocembrin⁻Lecithin Complex: Characterization, Solubilization, and Antioxidant Activities

Xu Yang et al. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

Pinocembrin is a natural flavonoid compound which is capable of antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic activities. The present study aimed to enhance the solubility and antioxidant activities of pinocembrin by complex formation with lecithin. The physicochemical characteristics of pinocembrin⁻lecithin complex were analyzed by ultraviolet (UV), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and solubility assay, and the antioxidant activities of pinocembrin⁻lecithin complex were evaluated via radical scavenging capacities for 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS), hydroxyl, and superoxide-anion. The results indicated that pinocembrin complex with lecithin could significantly improve the solubility of pinocembrin in water and n-octane, the pinocembrin⁻lecithin complex displayed no characteristic endothermic peak and the appearance of amorphous state, compared to the pinocembrin, and no new covalent bond was produced in the pinocembrin and lecithin compound. It was demonstrated that the antioxidant activities of pinocembrin were obviously enhanced by the complex with lecithin, and the scavenging capacities for hydroxyl radical, DPPH, superoxide-anion radical, and ABTS radical of pinocembrin⁻lecithin complex were 82.44 ± 2.21%, 40.07 ± 1.32%, 59.15 ± 0.86%, and 24.73 ± 1.04% at 1.0 mg/mL, respectively. It suggested that the pinocembrin⁻lecithin complex had a great potential application prospect in the healthcare industry and in clinical practice.

Keywords: pinocembrin–lecithin complex; solubility.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ultraviolet (UV) spectra analysis of: (1) pinocembrin; (2) pinocembrin complex with lecithin; (3) physical mixture of pinocembrin and lecithin; (4) lecithin.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Infrared (IR) spectra analysis of: (1) lecithin; (2) pinocembrin; (3) physical mixture of pinocembrin and lecithin; (4) pinocembrin complex with lecithin.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(1) Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of lecithin; (2) pinocembrin; (3) physical mixture of pinocembrin and lecithin; (4) pinocembrin complex with lecithin.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(1) Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves of lecithin; (2) physical mixture of pinocembrin and lecithin; (3) pinocembrin complex with lecithin; (4) pinocembrin.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Antioxidant activities of pinocembrin and its complex. (A) 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity; (B) 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity; (C) hydroxyl radical scavenging activity; (D) superoxide-anion scavenging activity.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Antioxidant activities of pinocembrin and its complex. (A) 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity; (B) 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity; (C) hydroxyl radical scavenging activity; (D) superoxide-anion scavenging activity.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Chemical structure of pinocembrin.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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