Nanoliposomes encapsulation of enriched phenolic fraction from pistachio hulls and its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-melanogenic activities

Abstract

Aims: Owhadi is a popular commercial pistachio cultivar in Iran which could be an attractive source for natural bioactive compounds with health-promoting activity.

Methods: The hulls subjected to fractionation and ethyl acetate fraction was a phenolic-enriched fraction (PEF). The PEF was encapsulated in nanoliposomes (PEF-NLs) as a newly developed delivery system. The phytochemical analysis of PEF-NLs confirmed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds.

Results: The PEF-NLs indicated the strong antioxidant activity through up-regulation of the antioxidant-related genes in the murine hepatocyte. The PEF-NLs indicated the notable anti-inflammatory activity by scavenging the nitric oxide (NO) and reducing the NO production in the murine macrophage cells. The PEF-NLs have also exhibited the anti-melanogenic activity through direct tyrosinase enzyme inhibition and by modulating melanin biosynthesis genes in B16F10 melanoma cells.

Conclusion: The PEF-NLs possessed the promising potential to be used for controlling skin pigmentation disorders and as a skin-whitening agent in the cosmetic industry.

Keywords:

• Nanoliposome
• molecular mechanism
• tyrosinase inhibitory
• animal cell model
• fractionation
• RAW 264.7 cells
• phytochemicals

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors would like to thank the Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran (ABRII), Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University of Mashhad and the Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia for the provided chemicals and laboratory facilities.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.