Pollen-based microcapsules such as hollow sporopollen exine capsules (SECs) have emerged as excellent drug delivery and microencapsulation vehicles due to their eco-friendly nature, uniform micron-scale size, and chemical and physical stability. Natural pollen species such as dandelion pollen grains offer diverse architectural features such as large internal cavities and a tough outer exine layer that can be readily prepared and utilized as microencapsulation materials.
In this study, the FlowCam was used, along with other imaging technologies, to assess the preservation of the dandelion SEC morphology during the extraction of inherent proteinaceous materials. The size and morphology was characterized by their distribution of diameter, circularity and aspect ratio.
The study concludes that dandelion SECs could be a promising shell material for microencapsulation and drug delivery. Pictured at right, dandelion sporopollenin exine capsules as imaged by the FlowCam.
Read the full paper about the methodology, technologies used, and promising nature of dandelion SECs as a potential candidates for the development of drug delivery systems.
