Abstract:

To improve the stability and activity of α-tocopherol （α-Toc）, a nanoemulsion was prepared by supramolecular inclusion method, which was a kind of nanocarrier for α-Toc with good stability, good transdermal effect and excellent anti-oxidation. The effects of the types of polysorbates （Tweens）, the amount of hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin （HP-β-CD） and the amount of α-Toc solution on the particle size of the nanoemulsion were investigated. The encapsulation condition and performance evaluation of α-Toc nanoemulsion were studied by Fourier infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle size analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and Franz diffusion cell method. The results showed that the obtained α-Toc supramolecular nanoemulsion had small particle size and uniform distribution and had good storage stability both at 0 ℃ and room temperature. This nanoemulsion could significantly enhance the thermal stability of α-Toc, and it showed better antioxidant capacity than the nonencapsulated α-Toc. The nanoemulsion could also effectively promote the transdermal absorption of α-Toc in cosmetic formula. This work could provide research basis for the application of nanocarriers in the field of daily-use chemical industry.

Key words: α-tocopherol, nano-emulsion, supramolecule, performance study