Encapsulation of Coenzyme Q10 for Controlled Release, High Stability, and Antioxidant Activity

Abstract

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vital antioxidant in cellular energy production, mitochondrial electron transport, and protection against oxidative stress. CoQ10 deficiency is associated with several health conditions, including neurological degeneration, aging, and cancer. Despite its therapeutic potential, CoQ10's high molecular weight and poor water solubility result in limited oral bioavailability. Therefore, research is focused on developing efficient encapsulation systems to enhance their stability, solubility, and delivery. In the present study, different biopolymers, including sodium alginate (SA), starch, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and chitosan, have been explored for encapsulating CoQ10 for enhanced stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. Sodium alginate forms stable gels through cross-linking with divalent cations, while starch, CMC, and chitosan improve structural stability and controlled release of encapsulated compounds. The encapsulation was achieved through ionotropic gelation, and the microcapsules were characterized for size, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency, along with in vitro release profiles and antioxidant activity.SA+Starch+Chitosan exhibited the most sustained release, with cumulative release reaching 74.4% at 36 hours. Antioxidant assays confirmed retained activity, with DPPH scavenging increasing over time in correlation with release. Photostability testing showed drastic degradation of free CoQ10 (38.13% retention at 60 min), while chitosan-containing formulations retained over 92%, with SA+Starch+Chitosan achieving the highest retention of 93.47 ± 0.189%. Similarly, thermal and storage stability tests confirmed that encapsulation significantly delayed CoQ10 degradation under stress conditions. These results confirm that microencapsulation using food-grade biopolymers notably improves CoQ10's stability, antioxidant activity, and release control. The findings support the potential of these formulations for further development in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical delivery systems.