ABSTRACT
Nutraceuticals are proven to enhance human health and prevent chronic diseases with a strong historical background (Bernal et al. 2011; Gerson 1978). These compounds have significant applications in various industries including cosmetics, food aids, and additives (Slattery et al. 2004). Table 5.1 shows some of the numerous therapeutic benefits such as antiobesity, antidiabetic, antioxidant activity, immune enhancement, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular effects possessed by nutraceuticals (Holt 1999). Examples of widely used nutraceuticals are vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids, and polyphenols (curcumin anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, flavanones, isoflavones, and ellagic acid). Another category of nutraceuticals is probiotics (i.e., health-promoting bacteria), which had a global market value of $32.6 billion in the year 2014 (Zaki 2014). Because of their low solubility, many nutraceuticals are poorly absorbed by the human body. Most
hydrophobic nutraceuticals like fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids are highly sensitive to oxidation, and thus require stabilization in an aqueous medium. The bioavailability of the nutraceutical can be enhanced by formulating these compounds in nanoscale. Nanoformulations include liposomal nanoparticles, dendrimer nanoparticles, and polymer nanoparticles with carriers as such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG).
