Entrapment of trans, trans-farnesol in amorphous silica capsules and its release behaviour: On the route of futur applications

Farnesol, a compound widely found in several plant-related matrices, including agro-food by-products, is an important bioactive agent that can be exploited in cosmetics and pharmaceutics but the direct bioapplication of this compound is limited by its volatility. Here the entrapment of farnesol in silica capsules was investigated to control the release of this bioactive compound in the vapor phase and in ethanol solutions. The preparation of silica capsules with oil cores was obtained by employing a sol-gel method using O/W/O multiple emulsions. Two distinct chemical vehicles for farnesol have been investigated: retinol (A) and oleic acid (B). The release of farnesol from the prepared SiO₂ capsules was investigated. It is demonstrated that these capsules are efficient for the long controlled release of farnesol and that the respective profiles depend on the chemical parameters employed in the synthesis of the capsules. It is well known that terpene compounds (e.g. trans,trans-farnesol) are praised for their beneficial effects to human health, namely as anti-oxidant agents. The release profiles reported here are compatible with the needs of an anti-oxidant effect in fast stress oxidative situations or in cases of a preventive action for longer periods of time.