Nanoencapsulation of Red Ginseng Extracts Using Chitosan with Polyglutamic Acid or Fucoidan for Improving Antithrombotic Activities

The potential of nanoencapsulation using bioactive coating materials for improving antithrombotic activities of red ginseng extract (RG) was examined. RG-loaded chitosan (CS) nanoparticles were prepared using antithrombotic materials, polyglutamic acid (PGA) or fucoidan (Fu). Both CS-PGA (P-NPs, 360 ± 67 nm) and CS-Fu nanoparticles (F-NPs, 440 ± 44 nm) showed sustained ginsenoside release in an acidic environment and improved ginsenoside solubility by approximately 122.8%. Both in vitro rabbit and ex vivo rat platelet aggregation of RG (22.3 and 41.5%) were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased within P-NPs (14.4 and 30.0%) and F-NPs (12.3 and 30.3%), respectively. Although RG exhibited no effect on in vivo carrageenan-induced mouse tail thrombosis, P-NPs and F-NPs demonstrated significant effects, likely the anticoagulation activity of PGA and Fu. Moreover, in the in vivo rat arteriovenous shunt model, P-NPs (156 ± 6.8 mg) and F-NPs (160 ± 3.2 mg) groups showed significantly lower thrombus formation than that of RG (190 ± 5.5 mg). Therefore, nanoencapsulation using CS, PGA, and Fu is a potential for improving the antithrombotic activity of RG.