Degree
Master of Science
Program
Physiology and Pharmacology
Supervisor
Lui, Edmund M.K.
2nd Supervisor
Charpentier, Paul A.
Co-Supervisor
Abstract
This project was concerned with the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) by microfluidics from bulk ginseng polysaccharides (PS) isolated from American ginseng to design a new delivery system to improve the bioavailability of PS. Physicochemical analyses showed products of nanosizing as unimodal spheres with a diameter of ~19 nm. Pharmacological characterization studies in vitro of these nanoparticles of PS (NPPS) have demonstrated heightened immunostimulatory activity, and enhanced penetration across skin cell monolayer, which could be considered as evidence of increased bioavailability. Studies using PS sub-fractions with different molecular weights for NPPS synthesis showed that molecular weights is one of the parameters that influence the quality of NPPS. Mechanistic study revealed that NPPS acted like PS in targeting the Toll-like receptor-signalling pathway in mediating the immune-stimulatory effect. This nanotechnology may be applied to produce innovative ginseng polysaccharide-based nutraceuticals with improved bioavailability.
Recommended Citation
Lee, Vincent, "Synthesis and Characterization of American Ginseng Polysaccharides Nanoparticles" (2019). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 6181.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/6181