Stability and biological testing of taurine-conjugated bile acid antioxidant microcapsules for diabetes treatment

Taurine-conjugated bile acids possess positive formulation-stabilization effects, which are desirable in diabetes treatments. The taurine-conjugated bile acid, taurocholic acid (TCA), has shown promising formulation-stabilizing effects on the delivery of the antioxidant drug, probucol (PB), but success is limited due to its poor release profile. This study aimed to design new PB-TCA formulations using new polymers, and examine antioxidant and antidiabetic effects using β-cells for PB with or without TCA. Different formulations using alginate-insoluble esters of polymethylacrylate polymers encapsulating PB and TCA were developed, microencapsulated and examined for stability and biological activity. TCA addition to new PB matrices improved osmotic and mechanical properties, and this effect was dependent on polymethylacrylate composition and concentration. TCA can optimize the oral delivery of anti-diabetic compounds.