{"title":"Crocin-Phospholipid Complex: Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics Simulation, Preparation, Characterization, and Antioxidant Activity.","authors":"Yasaman Rezaee, Elham Rezaee, Leila Karami, Maryam Torshabi, Azadeh Haeri","doi":"10.5812/ijpr-144041","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Crocin is a water-soluble carotenoid compound present in saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.), known for its wide range of pharmacological activities, including cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-tumorigenic, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-inflammatory effects.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The instability of crocin, its low miscibility with oils, and poor bioavailability pose challenges for its pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed to design and prepare a crocin-phospholipid complex (CPC) and assess its physicochemical properties.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study investigated the formation of the complex and its binding affinity through molecular docking. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to find the optimal molar ratio of crocin to phospholipid for the complex's preparation. The CPC was produced using the solvent evaporation method. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and solubility studies were utilized to characterize and confirm the formation of CPC. Additionally, the in vitro antioxidant activity of crocin and CPC was evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Molecular dynamic simulations explored molar ratios of 1: 1, 1: 1.5, and 1: 2 for crocin to phospholipid. The ratio of 1: 2 was found to be the most stable, exhibiting the highest probability of hydrogen bond formation. Molecular docking, FTIR, and NMR studies indicated hydrogen bond interactions between crocin and phospholipid, confirming CPC's formation. XRD and FE-SEM analyses showed a decrease in crocin's crystallinity within the phospholipid complex. Furthermore, the solubility of crocin in n-octanol was enhanced post-complexation, indicating an increase in crocin's lipophilic nature.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Phospholipid complexation emerges as a promising technique for enhancing the physicochemical characteristics of crocin.</p>","PeriodicalId":14595,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","volume":"23 1","pages":"e144041"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11246643/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpr-144041","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY","Score":null,"Total":0}
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Abstract
Background: Crocin is a water-soluble carotenoid compound present in saffron (Crocus sativus L.), known for its wide range of pharmacological activities, including cardioprotective, hepatoprotective, anti-tumorigenic, anti-atherosclerosis, and anti-inflammatory effects.
Objectives: The instability of crocin, its low miscibility with oils, and poor bioavailability pose challenges for its pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed to design and prepare a crocin-phospholipid complex (CPC) and assess its physicochemical properties.
Methods: The study investigated the formation of the complex and its binding affinity through molecular docking. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to find the optimal molar ratio of crocin to phospholipid for the complex's preparation. The CPC was produced using the solvent evaporation method. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and solubility studies were utilized to characterize and confirm the formation of CPC. Additionally, the in vitro antioxidant activity of crocin and CPC was evaluated.
Results: Molecular dynamic simulations explored molar ratios of 1: 1, 1: 1.5, and 1: 2 for crocin to phospholipid. The ratio of 1: 2 was found to be the most stable, exhibiting the highest probability of hydrogen bond formation. Molecular docking, FTIR, and NMR studies indicated hydrogen bond interactions between crocin and phospholipid, confirming CPC's formation. XRD and FE-SEM analyses showed a decrease in crocin's crystallinity within the phospholipid complex. Furthermore, the solubility of crocin in n-octanol was enhanced post-complexation, indicating an increase in crocin's lipophilic nature.
Conclusions: Phospholipid complexation emerges as a promising technique for enhancing the physicochemical characteristics of crocin.
期刊介绍：
The Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research (IJPR) is a peer-reviewed multi-disciplinary pharmaceutical publication, scheduled to appear quarterly and serve as a means for scientific information exchange in the international pharmaceutical forum. Specific scientific topics of interest to the journal include, but are not limited to: pharmaceutics, industrial pharmacy, pharmacognosy, toxicology, medicinal chemistry, novel analytical methods for drug characterization, computational and modeling approaches to drug design, bio-medical experience, clinical investigation, rational drug prescribing, pharmacoeconomics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, biopharmaceutics and physical pharmacy.
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