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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #410244
Research Project: Identification and Characterization of Quality Parameters for Enhancement of Marketability of Hard Spring Wheat, Durum, and Oat

Location: Potato, Pulse and Small Grains Quality Research

Title: Enhanced nutraceutical potential of cannabidiol derived from industrial hemp using plant based complex coacervates

Author
item CHARLES, ANTO PRADEEP RA - North Dakota State University
item LAN, YANG - North Dakota State University
item Ohm, Jae-Bom
item CHEN, BINGCAN - North Dakota State University
item RAO, JIAJIA - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Industrial Crops and Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2024
Publication Date: 11/29/2024
Citation: Charles, A.J., Lan, Y., Ohm, J., Chen, B., Rao, J. 2024. Enhanced nutraceutical potential of cannabidiol derived from industrial hemp using plant based complex coacervates. Industrial Crops and Products. 223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.120130.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.120130

Interpretive Summary: Cannabidiol is a chemical in hemp and an approved prescription drug. Cannabidiol has been discovered to have many beneficial properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotic, anti-arthritic, and immunomodulatory activities. However, cannabidiol is easily perishable and poorly absorbed by the human digestive system. This research discovered that hemp protein isolate–Arabic gum complex might be used to improve storage stability and absorption of cannabidiol in the human digestive system. The results indicated that hemp protein isolate–Arabic gum complex is an excellent choice as an encapsulation agent to enhance the cannabidiol storage stability and accessibility for absorption in the human digestive system.

Technical Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the potential of hemp protein isolate–gum Arabic (HPI–GA) complex coacervates as a wall material for encapsulating cannabidiol (CBD) derived from industrial hemp, with a focus on enhancing long-term storage stability and bioaccessibility. Initially, the state diagram and charge analysis were employed to determine the optimal conditions for complex coacervation formation. The results indicated that HPI and GA could effectively form complex coacervates at a 5:1 mixing ratio and pH 3. These HPI–GA complex coacervates were utilized for encapsulating CBD at varying wall-to-core ratios (6:1, 8:1, and 10:1), and their performance was compared to control samples, including CBD encapsulated in HPI alone and in bulk oil. The HPI–GA coacervates exhibited significantly higher encapsulation efficiency compared to the control samples, reaching up to 91.85% with an increasing wall-to-core ratio. As revealed by SEM and CLSM, coacervate-derived spray-dried microcapsules displayed larger particle sizes, minimal surface CBD content, and a uniform spherical shape than that of HPI controls. These properties allowed the coacervates to effectively maintain their stability of CBD for 75 days under light and temperature exposure (25 or 40°C). The INFOGEST gastrointestinal stimulation digestion results revealed that HPI–GA coacervates can maintain the chemical stability of CBD during digestion, release free fatty acids in a controlled manner, and consequently increase the bioaccessibility of CBD up to 61.04%. Overall, the result showed that HPI–GA complex coacervation could be an excellent delivery vehicle to improve the chemical stability and bioaccessibility of nutraceuticals.