Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Microgels Containing Resveratrol Nanoparticles

ABSTRACT Resveratrol (Res) is a natural antioxidant found in plants such as peanuts, grapes and Polygonum cuspidatum . It exhibits notable physiological activities and has attracted increasing interest in drug delivery, tissue engineering and cosmetic applications. However, its practical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility and inherent instability. In this study, highly antioxidant nanoparticles were fabricated through the self‐assembly of N‐nonanyldopamine (NND), 3‐O‐ethyl‐L‐ascorbic acid (3‐EtAA), and Res. These nanoparticles were further processed into microgels via electrospray to enhance the chemical stability of Res. The resulting Res‐loaded nanoparticles (RNPs) exhibited a particle size of 223.8 ± 7.28 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 99.16% ± 0.87%. The Res‐loaded microgels (RMGs) displayed a particle size of approximately 1.72 ± 0.58 μm and an encapsulation efficiency of 99.89% ± 1.51%. Both formulations exhibited strong antioxidant capacity, with DPPH• scavenging activity nearly four times higher than that of L‐ascorbic acid (L‐AA). Furthermore, the RMGs demonstrated excellent stability, retaining more than 90% of Res after 12 h at 55°C. In summary, this study significantly improved Res stability through an active‐ingredient self‐assembly strategy and further enhanced its antioxidant performance by formulating it into nanoparticles and subsequently into microgels via electrospray. This approach offers a promising strategy for improving the stability of resveratrol.