The roles of flaxseed gum and its oligosaccharides as stabilizers in zein nanoparticles for apigenin delivery: Stability, antioxidant activity, bioavailability, molecular simulations

Apigenin (Ap) is a bioactive compound, but its application is limited by poor solubility, stability, and bioavailability. This study developed flaxseed gum (FG) and its oligosaccharides (FGOS)-coated zein nanoparticles for Ap delivery (FG/Zein@Ap and FGOS/Zein@Ap). Compared to FG/Zein@Ap, FGOS/Zein@Ap exhibited smaller size, higher zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency (∼71.70 %), and loading capacity (∼7.66 %) as evidenced by dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FGOS/Zein@Ap also provided better stability of Ap under various conditions, thereby promoting stronger in vitro antioxidant activity, raising bioaccessibility and bioavailability. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that FGOS interacted more strongly with zein, primarily through hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces. This interaction provided greater binding stability throughout the simulation period, compared to FG. This study enhances the understanding of FG and FGOS, providing valuable insights for oligosaccharides-based delivery systems for hydrophobic bioactives.