Coconut Phospholipid Species: Isolation, Characterization and Application as Drug Delivery System

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to isolate the ethanolamine species of coconut phospholipid and to investigate their potency as drug delivery system by using it to encapsulate vitamin C. The study consisted of two stages: the first stage was isolation and characterization of coconut phosphatidylethanolamine species; and the second stage was utilization of coconut phosphatidylethanolamine liposomes to encapsulate vitamin C. A dark brown gel of coconut phosphatidylethanolamine species (CocoPEs) was isolated from dried coconut meat (9.3×10−3%, w/w). At least 15 species were found in coconut phosphatidylethanolamine. The fatty acyl chains of the species were capric, linoleic, oleic, stearic and arachidic acyl chains. At least four different phases were identified on CocoPEs i.e. planar-shape gel phase, rippling phase, liquid crystal phase and hexagonal phase. The temperature (Tp) was at 25.29°C for changing from planar-shaped gel to rippling phase, 32.62°C (Tm) for major transition from gel to liquid crystal, and 65.53°C (Th) from liquid crystal to hexagonal phase. All of CocoPEs liposomes encapsulation efficiency with cholesterol concentration up to 30% were above 80%. CocoPEs showed great potency as encapsulation material. It had high encapsulation efficiency and addition of cholesterol to the liposome membrane only slightly reduced the efficiency.