Research subject: Microencapsulation technology is an effective approach to address the challenges of treating iron deficiency using oral supplements, as it not only prevents the adverse effects associated with the presence of iron in the gastrointestinal tract but also significantly improves the bioavailability of iron salts. The main aim of this study is to prepare the sucrosomial iron formulation by the heating method and then optimize the final formulation in terms of its composition (its components and their percentage, especially the percent loading of Iron in the sucrosomial iron formulation) and in terms of performance (increasing stability and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract).
Research approach: In order to achieve the highest percentage of iron loading, the concentrations of lecithin, sucrose monostearate and iron pyrophosphate were optimized, taking into account the rate of increase in stability and permeation of the intestinal mucosa under ex vivo conditions. The final sucrose formulation, consisting of soy lecithin, iron pyrophosphate, sucrose monostearate and pre-gelatinized starch, was prepared with initial concentrations of 0.5, 0.1, 1 and 2 (%w/v), respectively, and its characteristics were determined.
Main results: Iron loading efficiency was calculated 10.87% ± 0.34. Liposomal iron and sucrosomial iron had an average size of 1.3 m and 1.9 m, respectively, with a potential of -43 mV and -10 mV. TEM results confirmed the formation of two phospholipid layers in liposomal iron. In the acidic environment of the stomach under in vitro conditions, more than 80% of the pyrophosphate iron remained encapsulated in the prepared sucrosomial formulation. Also, the percent of iron permeation from the intestinal mucosa in ex vivo conditions was calculated to be 46.1±  2.21% in 4 hours. The results showed that the final formulation exhibited significant results in terms of iron loading, increasing the stability and diffusion of iron pyrophosphate from the intestinal mucosa.