Nanoparticles Based on Hydrophobic Alginate Derivative as Nutraceutical Delivery Vehicle: Vitamin D₃ Loading

Figures & data

Figure 1. Confocal microscopic images of Caco-2 cells after 1 h incubation with OAE-VD₃-FITC at 37°C, which were imaged by (a) DAPI channel, (b) FITC channel and (c) the combined DAPI channel and FITC channel, respectively.

Figure 2. The mean serum concentration-time curve of VD₃ and OAE-VD₃ in mice after a single oral dose (2mg/kg) of VD₃ and OAE-VD₃. Each data represents the mean ± S.D. of 6 rats.

Table 1. Pharmacokinetic parameters of VD₃ and OAE-VD₃ in mice serum (n = 6).

	VD3 group	OAE-VD3 group
Tmax(h)	9.600 ± 3.578	12.800 ± 4.382
Cmax(ug/ml)	0.401 ± 0.046	0.422 ± 0.019
AUC(0-48h)(mg/L*h)	10.53 ± 0.96	14.57 ± 0.46*
AUC(0-∞)(mg/L*h)	11.49 ± 0.96	16.56 ± 0.92*

*p < 0.05 vs. VD₃ group.

Table 2. Changes of body weight (n = 6).

Week	Control group	Model group	H-N Vd group	L-N Vd group	H-Vd group	L-Vd group
1^st	61.50 ± 5.00	63.83 ± 3.66	59.83 ± 4.79	64.67 ± 4.72	64.00 ± 7.32	62.17 ± 6.68
4^th	133.33 ± 26.89	111.67 ± 19.65^*	107.67 ± 13.43^*	120.33 ± 11.88	110.33 ± 14.31^*	117.33 ± 16.58
6^th	175.83 ± 35.11	137.83 ± 25.65^*	140.00 ± 24.39^*	145.67 ± 14.22^*	141.00 ± 12.88^*	138.17 ± 20.45^*
7^th	197.67 ± 33.96	144.33 ± 23.67^*	146.83 ± 27.59^*	165.5 ± 21.62^*	156.33 ± 14.42^*	150.17 ± 20.08^*
9^th	239.00 ± 33.88	159.17 ± 27.01^*	175.5 ± 31.23^*	185.33 ± 22.61^*	173.67 ± 20.69^*	165.67 ± 17.11^*
11^th	268.67 ± 32.66	177.83 ± 31.05^*	203.17 ± 27.92^*	206.17 ± 27.43^*	202.17 ± 30.47^*	194.33 ± 9.73^*

*p < 0.05 vs. Control group.

Table 3. Changes of serum parameters (n = 6).

	Control group	Model group	H-N Vd group	L-N Vd group	H-Vd group	L-Vd group
Calcium (mmol/l)	2.01 ± 0.04	2.10 ± 0.14	2.03 ± 0.05	2.07 ± 0.08	2.00 ± 0.06	2.03 ± 0.05
Phosphorus (mmol/l)	2.00 ± 0.27	1.71 ± 0.19^*	1.92 ± 0.15^#	1.97 ± 0.17^#	1.98 ± 0.21^#	2.04 ± 0.23^#
AKP (U/L)	153.13 ± 44.59	224.50 ± 80.06^*	135.83 ± 55.82^#	133.67 ± 32.27^#†	139.33 ± 57.89^#	204.17 ± 63.75
BAP (U/L)	26.16 ± 12.53	45.58 ± 16.38^*	19.99 ± 8.48^#	25.65 ± 6.18^#	22.28 ± 11.85^#	36.81 ± 15.05
25- (OH)D3 (ng/ml)	52.44 ± 46.29	22.27 ± 4.32^*	38.73 ± 11.88	33.65 ± 9.51^†	36.08 ± 12.68	22.00 ± 4.82

*p < 0.05 vs. Control group; ^#p < 0.05 vs. Model group; ^†p < 0.05 vs. L-Vd group.

Table 4. Changes of the content of calcium and phosphorus in rat tibia (n = 6).

Variable (mg/g)	Control group	Model group	H-N Vd group	L-N Vd group	H-Vd group	L-Vd group
Calcium	25.76 ± 1.13	24.12 ± 0.93^*	26.63 ± 0.67^#	25.76 ± 0.03^#	26.49 ± 0.24^#	24.66 ± 0.74
Phosphorus	184.11 ± 6.70	168.68 ± 11.19^*	193.30 ± 6.60^#	182.39 ± 5.28^#	186.45 ± 2.85^#	182.14 ± 4.00^#

*p < 0.05 vs. Control group; ^#p < 0.05 vs. Model group.

Table 5. Changes of mineral density in rat femur (n = 6).

BMD (g/cm^2)	Control group	Model group	H-N Vd group	L-N Vd group	H-Vd group	L-Vd group
Proximal femur	0.224 ± 0.021	0.164 ± 0.025^*	0.210 ± 0.020^#	0.207 ± 0.010^#	0.208 ± 0.015^#	0.189 ± 0.030
Distal femur	0.245 ± 0.021	0.191 ± 0.013^*	0.236 ± 0.039^#	0.210 ± 0.017^#†	0.238 ± 0.013^#	0.170 ± 0.067

*p < 0.05 vs. Control group; ^#p < 0.05 vs. Model group; ^†p < 0.05 vs. L-Vd group.

Figure 3. Femoral radiological changes.

Figure 4. Histological changes in femur (HE staining, ×400).