Protonation of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) results in massive aggregation and reduced oral bioavailability of EGCG-dispersed selenium nanoparticles

J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Jul 31;61(30):7268-75. doi: 10.1021/jf4000083. Epub 2013 Jul 17.

Abstract

The current results show that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), in the form of phenolic anions at pH 8.0, can effectively disperse selenium nanoparticles. However, at gastric juice pH (1.0), the EGCG-dispersed selenium nanoparticles (referred to as E-Se) extensively aggregated, so that nano features largely disappeared. This demonstrates that deprotonated phenolic anions of EGCG play an important role in maintaining E-Se stability and suggests that E-Se would suffer from reduced oral bioavailability. To validate this conjecture, size-equivalent E-Se and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-dispersed selenium nanoparticles (B-Se), whose physicochemical properties were not altered at pH 1.0, were orally administered to selenium-deficient mice. In comparison to B-Se, the bioavailabilities of E-Se as indicated with hepatic and renal glutathione peroxidase activity and hepatic selenium levels were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced by 39, 32, and 31%, respectively. Therefore, the present study reveals that size-equivalent selenium nanoparticles prepared by different dispersers do not necessarily guarantee equivalent oral bioavailability.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Availability
  • Catechin / administration & dosage
  • Catechin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Catechin / chemistry
  • Catechin / pharmacokinetics
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Dietary Supplements / analysis
  • Drug Stability
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Nanoparticles / administration & dosage
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Selenium / administration & dosage
  • Selenium / chemistry
  • Selenium / pharmacokinetics*
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry

Substances

  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • Catechin
  • epigallocatechin gallate
  • Selenium