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Figure 7 X-ray diffraction profiles of samples containing various concentrations of
phytosterols: (a) 0 wt%, (b) 0.2 wt% and (c) 2.5 wt%. Intensity is plotted
against wave number q
It should be noted that, for > 2.5 wt% of solubilized phytosterol, a rapid
precipitation of the phytosterol is detected, and the overall structure seems to
decompose. Therefore, the maximum solubilization capacity of the sterols
within the Q
L
mesophase was set at
2.5 wt%.
B
6.3.3 Lycopene Solubilization
Lycopene could be solubilized in the Q
L
phase in only minor quantities (ca. 100
ppm); above these levels the lycopene sedimented immediately as small crystals.
The amount of solubilized lycopene was so small that it practically could not be
quantitatively measured. At any measurable levels of added lycopene, the red
crystals that migrated out of the microemulsion were easily detected by the
naked eye.
The compound is known to be insoluble in most of the food-grade solvents. The
low solubilization capacities in water are not completely surprising, but somewhat
disappointing, since in our previous studies
30,31
we managed to solubilize the
lycopene in water-in-oil and oil-in-water microemulsions at higher levels.
In preliminary work on synergistic drug solubilization in the Q
L
phase
(unpublished results), we have detected that combinations of two solubilized
molecules with very different nature could have a very significant complemen-
tary effect on the nanostructure, leading to synergistic solubilization. Therefore,
an attempt was made to solubilize the two nutraceuticals in the Q
L
mesophase.
6.3.4 Lycopene and Phytosterol Solubilization
Lycopene and phytosterol do demonstrate a synergistic solubilization. At low
phytosterol solubilization levels (
o
2.5 wt%), the lycopene was found to
precipitate immediately even at very low levels (
o
100 ppm). But once 2.5
wt% of phytosterols had been solubilized within the Q
L
phase, the lycopene
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