Zein-Induced Polyelectrolyte Complexes for Encapsulating Triterpenoid Phytochemicals.

The hydrophobicity and aggregation of zein, a biopolymer, limit its application as an effective drug delivery carrier. Here, we developed a zein-induced polyelectrolyte (ZiP) complex and investigated its efficiency in delivering 1% hydrolyzed ginseng saponin, a compound K-rich fraction derived from the root of . The ZiP complex was formulated by incorporating the self-assembled amphiphilic prolamin zein into the aqueous phase.