Effect of Liposome Storage of Cyanocobalamin on Its Degradation by Ascorbic Acid

The demand of food supplements is increasing. Recently, coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak seems to accelerate it including vitamin B 12 (cyanocobalamin). One problem of handling cyanocobalamin is that it degrades when mixed with other ingredients, of which ascorbic acid. is the most reactive, easily degrading this compound. In this study, in order to seek a way to protect cyanocobalamin against the action of ascorbic acid, cyanocobalamin-loaded liposomes (CLs) was prepared and its stability was compared to free cyanocobalamin in an aqueous solution of ascorbic acid at 25, 40, and 70°C for up to 7 weeks. CLs was more resistant to the degradation by ascorbic acid than the free cyanocobalamin. The effect of liposomes was more definite at higher temperature. In addition to CLs, cyanocobalamin-loaded chitosan-coated liposome was prepared and tested for its stability under the same conditions. But the result was almost the same with that of CLs. These findings suggests that the loading into liposomes is effective in protecting this vitamin against the degradation by ascorbic acid. Thus, the application of this liposome technology will be a useful way to formulate this vitamin for enhancing its stability.