Harnessing liposome technology to deliver a Rubus ulmifolius fruit extract to hyperglycemic rats

In this study, liposome technology was proposed to enhance the antihyperglycemic activity of an extract from Rubus ulmifolius edible fruits. Liposomes coated with the enteric polymer Eudragit®L100 were developed. The R. ulmifolius Eudragit-liposomes were mainly unilamellar, with a mean diameter of 87 ± 7.9 nm. They exhibited a high entrapment efficiency (>70%) of key phenolic compounds: anthocyanins, ellagitannins and flavonols. The protection provided by the vesicle structure and the polymer coating was confirmed by a stability assessment in simulated gastrointestinal fluids. The antihyperglycemic activity of R . ulmifolius extract administered orally to hyperglycemic rats was examined. A 20 mg/kg dose of the nanoformulated extract was more effective than a 100 mg/kg dose of the free extract and produced an antihyperglycemic effect similar to that of antidiabetic acarbose. The results corroborate the hypothesis that the bioactivity of the R. ulmifolius fruit extract could be enhanced by harnessing Eudragit-coated liposome technology with the aim of finding new options to manage hyperglycemia.