Pickering emulsions stabilized by biodegradable dextran-based nanoparticles featuring enzyme responsiveness and co-encapsulation of actives.

In this study, Pickering emulsions of dodecane and medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oils were stabilized by simply alkylated-dextran nanoparticles. Our findings show that very little of these bio-friendly nanoparticles is necessary to stabilize Pickering emulsions while providing a high time stability (more than a year at 37 °C). As dextran is known to be cleavable by dextranase enzyme, hydrolysis of the nanoparticles in the presence of dextranase could be achieved.

Spatio-temporal control over destabilization of Pickering emulsions stabilized by light-sensitive dextran-based nanoparticles.

The implementation of light-sensitive Pickering emulsions with spatio-temporal responsiveness in advanced applications like drug-delivery, colloidal or reaction engineering would open new avenues. However, curiously, light-sensitive Pickering emulsions are barely studied in the literature and their biocompatibility and/or degradability scarcely addressed. Thus, their development remains a major challenge.

Dextran-Based Nanoparticles to Formulate pH-Responsive Pickering Emulsions: A Fully Degradable Vector at a Day Scale.

Biosourced Pickering emulsion stabilizers with stimuli responsiveness are mostly designed for recycling and do not offer fast degradability as required for drug-delivery applications. Herein, dextran-a hydrophilic and biofriendly polysaccharide obtainable from biomass recovery-was used for the first time as a brick material for the formulation of (bio)degradable pH-sensitive Pickering emulsions. It was first modified with hydrophobic acetal moieties to provide pH-sensitive acetalated dextran.