Factors affecting the quercetin niosomes prepared by proniosome gel method

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting the characteristics and stability of quercetin noisomes prepared by proniosome method. Nonionic surfactant used in the study was Brij^®98 and the factors in the study were the pH of phosphate buffer, quantity of incorporated quercetin and the present of dihexadecyl phosphate as lipid modifier. Eight formulas of quercetin niosomes were prepared by proniosome gel method which were then diluted with phosphate buffer to form niosomes. The resulted quercetin niosomes were evaluated for sizes, entrapment efficiency and morphology. The stability was evaluated by measuring the size after storage at 25ºC up to 1 month. The best formula was prepared from Brij^®98 with 0.02 g of quercetin, phosphate buffer pH 6.0 and with 0.005 g of dihexadecyl phosphate. Photomicrograph of quercetin niosomes visualized by transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed that the particles were sphere. This formula was subsequently studied the effect of dilution amount of buffer on sizes. It was found that the higher in amounts of diluting buffer were used, the lower in particle sizes were resulted.