Major
Chemical Engineering
Minor(s)
Materials, Mathematics, Chemistry
Advisor
Meenach, Samantha, A
Advisor Department
Chemical Engineering
Advisor
Meenach, Samantha, A
Advisor Department
Chemical Engineering
Date
5-2025
Abstract
Pulmonary inflammation is associated with respiratory
disorders such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease. A hallmark of these diseases is
an increase in reactive oxygen species in the body, leading to
further inflammation and acerbation of these diseases.
Fortunately, a class of natural products termed plant-derived
flavonoids have been found to alleviate inflammation and
oxidative stress in lung tissue, making them promising
therapeutic agents for the treatment of pulmonary diseases.
Flavonoids are accessible and cost-effective, with quercetin
being one of the most commonly consumed flavonoids in the
human diet. Despite its therapeutic potential, the efficacy of
quercetin is limited due to its poor water solubility, thereby
limiting its oral bioavailability. This can be overcome through
the encapsulation of quercetin in polymeric-based
nanoparticles (NP) and microparticles (MP) for localized
delivery to the lungs. Both NP and MP can increase the
bioavailability of quercetin while lowering its dosage amount
and frequency. Quercetin-loaded nanoparticles (Que-NP) were
formulated via nanoprecipitation and tested for their size,
homogeneity, and drug loading. The particles were <200 nm in
diameter, with a low polydispersity index, and high drug loading.
An antioxidant assay was used to confirm that Que-NP retained
high antioxidant properties of quercetin. Quercetin-loaded
nanocomposite microparticles (Que-nCmP) were successfully
prepared by spray-drying Que-NP to formulate a dry powder
aerosol. The Que-nCmP demonstrated desirable morphology
and aerosol dispersion properties, high drug loading, and were
successfully redispersed back into parent Que-NP formulation.
This project aims to further the development of effective and
safe therapies for lung inflammation and chronic respiratory
disorders.