Zein microspheres

Because of their hydrophobicity and biocompatibility, zein microspheres are also being investigated as potential drug delivery systems for oral vaccines (Alkermes, 1994). PotentM oral vaccine targets include several infectious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis and diarrhea. Applications of OraLease as a drug delivery systems may also be fixrther advanced by the reported bioadhesive properties of zein microspheres (Mathiowitz et a/.,1994). 

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Mukhidinov ZK, Kasimova GF, Bobokalonov DT, Khalikov DK, Teshaev KI, Khalikova MD, Liu L-S (2011]. Pectin-zein microspheres as drug deliveiy systems. Pharm Chem ], 44,564-567. 

Chen, L., Subirade, M., 2009. Elaboration and characterization of soy/zein protein microspheres for controlled nutraceutical delivery. Biomacromolecules 10, 3327-3334. 

The formation of microspheres from various pectin hydrogel complexes and corn zein in the presence of calcium and zinc ions has been proposed (Mukhidinov et al., 2011). It is shown that the formation of microspheres and their loading capacity for a drug (piroxicam) depend on the type of biopolymers, their ratio, the sizes of the bivalent ions, and the molecular mass of the pectin. It was supposed that complexes of pectin with zein would suppress pectin swelling in the stomach and, thereby, limit drug degradation in the GI tract. 

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