Abstract:

Cuckoopint (Arum maculatum), an edible wild plant species, grows in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. The aerial parts of the plant are consumed as food. The plant's tubers are used in traditional folk medicine to treat gastrointestinal disorders. When consumed fresh, the plant's tubers have a toxic effect, and the dried form is safe if it does not exceed a certain amount. Tuber powders can also have a poisonous effect when taken in excessive amounts accidentally and unconsciously. In this study, it was investigated whether it is possible to prepare the powder obtained by drying the tubers of the edible wild plant A. maculatum by encapsulating it with chitosan, an edible, biocompatible, mucoadhesive polysaccharide, in specific doses. A. maculatum-chitosan microcapsules were prepared with A. maculatum tuber powder and chitosan. The effects of medium parameters such as pH, temperature, and ionic strength on the microcapsules' structural integrity and release properties were investigated. Encapsulation of tuber powders prepared in specific formulations into microcapsules can help prevent accidental overdose by the public. Commercial storage, transport, and marketing of cuckoopint tuber powder may be possible through encapsulation.