Nano-encapsulated quercetin by soluble soybean polysaccharide/chitosan enhances anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, and anti-oxidant activities

[Display omitted] •Quercetin is effectively encapsulated into soybean soluble polysaccharide.•Adding chitosan provides a more stable complex.•QEN exhibits anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, and anti-cancer activities.•QEN could be a good source used to dissolve in aqueous solutions for many purposes. Dietary polyphenols including quercetin are secondary plant metabolites that have been reported to prevent many chronic diseases; however, the high hydrophobicity of quercetin results in low water solubility and bioavailability, which limits the therapeutic efficacy and impedes further applications in aqueous systems. Encapsulation may be a potential solution to the aforementioned problems. Some polysaccharides, including soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) and chitosan, were widely used as polymeric backbones for the formation of nanoparticles. We investigated the physicochemical property of encapsulated quercetin in SSPS with chitosan. Encapsulation of quercetin was confirmed using Dynamic light scattering, Zeta potential, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Differential scanning calorimetry, and Transmission electron microscopy. The biological activity of this nanoparticle showed that encapsulated quercetin exhibits better biological activity compared to free quercetin. Alongside the enhanced solubility of quercetin in an aqueous solution, our results illustrate the improved utility of this nanoparticle in the biomedical and food industry.