Polyphenols Nanoencapsulation for Therapeutic Applications

Abstract

Natural polyphenols are valuable compounds present in plants, fruits, legumes, chocolate, tea, wine and marine organisms possessing scavenging properties towards radical oxygen species. These abilities make polyphenols interesting either for the treatment of various diseases like inflammation and cancer or for anti-ageing purposes in cosmetic formulations. Unfortunately, such compounds lack in long-term stability, are very sensitive to light, and often present a low water solubility and poor bioavailability. To overcome these limitations and enhance polyphenols therapeutic applications, nanotechnology-based delivery systems have been developed, and among all, nanoencapsulation represented a promising strategy. This review described a recent overview of physicochemical nanoencapsulated polyphenols focusing on the most representative molecules such as resveratrol, quercetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and curcumin.