HPMC microparticles carry resveratrol through digestion in lab tests
What it found
In lab tests, resveratrol carried in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) microparticles survived digestion better and showed antioxidant activity, with no harm to cells.
The work was done in cells, not people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Cell harm
In cell tests after digestion, none of the samples harmed the cells.
Antioxidant activity
The digested samples showed more antioxidant activity than free resveratrol, with 1.6 times the activity for HPMC microparticles and 1.4 times for the emulsions.
Other findings
Particle size
The HPMC microparticles were larger on average (948 nm) and more uniform (PDI under 0.2) than the modified starch emulsions (217 nm, PDI under 0.3).
Resveratrol protection
Both delivery systems protected resveratrol during digestion and increased how much remained available for the body to use.
Bioaccessibility
Resveratrol in HPMC microparticles was more bioaccessible (56.7%) than in the emulsions (19.7%).
What the authors conclude
“Our results offer insight into physiological relevancy due to assessment post-digestion and highlight the protection that the use of micro-nano delivery systems can confer to resveratrol and their potential to be used as functional food ingredients capable of providing antioxidant benefits upon consumption.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say their results show the protection that micro-nano delivery systems can give to resveratrol.
- They highlight the potential of these systems to be used as functional food ingredients that can provide antioxidant benefits when eaten.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see whether these delivery systems could protect resveratrol during digestion and deliver it in a usable form, as a possible functional food ingredient.
They made HPMC-based microparticles and modified starch emulsions loaded with resveratrol, put them through a simulated digestion, then tested the digested samples on mixed cultures of Caco-2 and HT29-MTX cells to look at cell harm and oxidative stress.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These are lab tests in cells, not studies in people. They cannot show what happens in the human body.
- The digestion was simulated in the lab, so it may not match real digestion in a person.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- University of Minho, Portugal; Associate Laboratory (LABBELS), Portugal; International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal
The paper
- Title
- Resveratrol-loaded octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch emulsions and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) microparticles: Cytotoxicity and antioxidant bioactivity assessment after in vitro digestion
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Silva PM, Neto MD, Cerqueira MA, et al (2024). Resveratrol-loaded octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch emulsions and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) microparticles: Cytotoxicity and antioxidant bioactivity assessment after in vitro digestion. International journal of biological macromolecules. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129288PubMed 38211926DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error