Extraction and encapsulation of phytocompounds from Withania coagulans for therapeutic uses

• Main Author: Saburnisha Mohamad Raffi
• Other Authors: Loo Say Chye Joachim
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Materials
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70980
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Withania coagulans Dunal is a plant that is native to the Asia-temperate and Asiatropical regions. It is used in the traditional system of medicine and reported to possess a multitude of medicinal benefits. Given the adverse side effects and disease resistance observed for current drugs, there is an increased thrust in the development of natural, plant-derived therapeutic molecules as an alternative. Withania coagulans is one such plant with proven therapeutic effects. This study aims to focus on the wound healing and anti-cancer properties of Withania coagulans, by extracting a concentrated form of the phytocompounds from the berries and encapsulating it in polymeric carriers to achieve a controlled and sustained release system. The phytocompounds were extracted using organic solvents and then encapsulated into PLGA of different molecular weights. The encapsulation and release of the phytocompounds from polymeric microparticles of varying molecular weights was analysed. The degradation of the PLGA microparticles over time was also studied. It is evident from the studies that the phytocompounds can be successfully encapsulated in PLGA microparticles and a controlled sustained release can be achieved. Some of the preliminary in vitro testing of the therapeutic effects of the phytocompounds also show a promising direction for the use of the extracts. Detailed studies would be carried out in the future to prove the wound healing and anti-cancer properties of the extract on cells and also the efficacy of the carrier system for such applications.