Effective use of reducing agents and nanoparticle encapsulation in stabilizing catechins in alkaline solution

Abstract

Catechins are an important class of dietary flavonoids with promising use as therapeutic agents due to their potent antioxidant activity and diverse biological properties. However, catechins are highly unstable in alkaline solutions, such as those present in some biological fluids and experimental protocols. In this study, we optimised, evaluated and compared the effectiveness of the reducing agents ascorbic acid (AA), dithiothreitol (DTT), tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP), as well as encapsulation in chitosan-tripolyphosphate nanoparticles for their potential to protect (+)-catechin and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate from degradation in potassium hydrogen phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). TCEP p..