SUMMARY OF THE 2nd STAGE
    

Project Denomination: INNOVATIVE NANOSTRUCTURED NUTRACEUTICALS WITH SYNERGISTIC BIOACTIVITIES FOR HEPATO-DIGESTIVE PROTECTION (NUTRASINPRO)

The overall objective of the project is to develop gentle, innovative technologies for the production of innovative, efficient and safe nanostructured controlled release systems obtained from fluid extracts of bitter cherry, blue honeysuckle and nano-encapsulated marc fruits in hybrid nanomatrices of mesoporous-prebiotic silica from barley germs enriched with probiotic strains of Lactobacillus sp.
 

EXECUTION STAGE No. 2 – Development of experimental variants for obtaining innovative nanostructured nutraceuticals based on nanostructured matrix from silica-prebiotic-barley mesoporous hybrid mass loaded with fluid extracts from bitter cherry, blue honeysuckle and red grape marc, associated or not with an appropriate probiotic of the type Lactobacillus sp.
 

Execution period: 01 January – 31 December 2023

OBJECTIVES OF THE EXECUTION PHASE No. 2/2023

O3. Synthesis and characterization of the silice-prebiotic barley prebiotic hybrid nanomatrix loaded with fruit fluid extract (MFE)

O4. Design and development of new nanostructured nutraceutical models based on hybrid silice-silica prebiotic barley germ hybrid mass nanomatrix, loaded with MFE in association with a probiotic enrichment component Lactobacillus sp. Strains

O5. In vitro physicochemical characterisation and cytocompatibility, antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and toxicological evaluation of novel nanostructured solid nutraceutical products

O6. Demonstration of optimal functionality of nanostructured nutraceuticals for intestinal and hepatoprotective effect using in vitro cell culture models on fibroblast and hepatocyte cell lines

O8 – Dissemination of scientific results and project management.
 

DELIVERABLES MADE:

• New technological model of hybrid mesoporous silica-prebiotic barley germ nanomatrix, loaded with fluid fruit extracts (MFE) of different proportions

• Functional models of controlled release solid nutraceutical formulations based on silica-prebiotic hybrid matrix loaded with fruit fluid extracts (MFE), associated or not with probiotic strains of the type Lactobacillus sp.

• Experimental enrichment models with Lactobacillus sp probiotic blend of selected nutraceutical models in fruit extract mixtures (MFEs) of different proportions.

• New optimized nanostructured solid nutraceutical formulations.

• Experimental models for in vitro testing and evaluation of synergistic bioactivities of functional models of nanostructured nutraceuticals with hepato-digestive protective action.

STAGE 2/2023 SUMMARY

The aim of this project phase was to develop experimental variants for obtaining innovative nanostructured nutraceuticals based on nanostructured matrix from silica-prebiotic mesoporous hybrid mass, barley germs loaded with fluid extracts from bitter cherry, blue honeysuckle and red grape marc fruits, associated or not with a suitable probiotic of the type Lactobacillus sp. The main objectives O3-O6 and O8 of phase 2/2023 of the project have been met, in accordance with the project implementation plan. Thus, the synthesis of mesoporous hybrid silica-prebiotic germ nanomatrix from green barley was performed, loaded with fluid extracts from bitter cherry, blue honeysuckle and red grape marc fruits and the load was physicochemically evaluated by UV-Vis-NIR, FT/IR, SEM analyzes. Also, new experimental variants of nanostructured nutraceutical formulations were obtained from mesoporous silica matrix, loaded with a mixture of fruit extracts and green barley germ, by associating with a mixture of lactic bacterial strains for a probiotic effect. In vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion of these experimental variants was performed, resulting in gastric and intestinal digests. The prebiotic effect of experimental variants of nanostructured nutraceutical formulations from mesoporous silica matrix loaded with mixture of fruit extracts and green barley germ was demonstrated, before and, in particular, after simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro, through the ability to stimulate the growth of cultures of lactic bacterial strains. The properties of controlled release of bioactive compounds from experimental variants of nanostructured nutraceutical formulations based on mesoporous silica matrix loaded with mixture of fruit extracts and green barley germ have been demonstrated, under conditions simulating different pH values in the gastrointestinal tract. It was shown that the experimental variants tested released polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant properties, which could act to stop the propagation of the chain of oxidative reactions in the gastrointestinal tract. Biological tests performed on different experimental models in vitro allowed comparative studies to evaluate the synergistic effect of nanostructured nutraceutical formulations by determining biocompatibility, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity in cultures of human HepG2 hepatocytes stressed with a fatty acid mixture, which confirmed the hepatoprotective properties of new nutraceuticals by modulating simulated hepatic steatosis in vitro. In vitro experimental models were developed on human intestinal epithelial cells HT-29 and their co-culture with a mixture of strains of lactobacilli, biomimetic microenvironment in the colon, which indicated gastrointestinal protective properties of new nanostructured nutraceutical formulations, tested before and after simulated digestion in vitro, by exerting antimicrobial, antioxidant and prebiotic effects and confirmed their significant potential for improving health of the human intestinal tract. Through all these analyses on in vitro biomimetic models, the biological potential and usefulness of nanostructured nutraceutical formulations in developing new natural products with gastrointestinal and hepato-protective properties have been demonstrated. The results obtained during this phase led to the achievement of all promising objectives regarding the development of new formulations of controlled release solid nutraceuticals based on hybrid mesoporous nanomatrix loaded with fluid extracts from bitter cherry, blue honeysuckle and red grape marc, whether or not associated with a mixture of probiotic strains Lactobacillus sp.,  which have the expected therapeutic effects. In conclusion, during the second phase of the project, all result indicators were achieved, and the value of the obtained results is supported by the dissemination activity of the original results, by publishing 5 scientific articles in specialized journals rated ISI with high visibility (open access, of which 4 in journals from red Q1 and yellow Q2 areas), 1 BDI article and 7 scientific papers communicated at international, national conferences and symposiums with international participation, in the form of poster and oral presentation with abstract published in the Book of abstracts and 1 scientific paper in the form of oral presentation without published abstract. A paper presented in the form of a poster at a scientific event with international participation was awarded the First Prize. The webpage dedicated to the project has been updated at https://www.ovidiusuniversity.com/.