TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
Institute of Molecular Biology, Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan
TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGIES
Institute of Molecular Biology, Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan
* For correspondence: skoskeroglu@mu.edu.tr
Mahmut Yıldıztekin: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0206-0117 Sultan Köşkeroğlu: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6623-1862 Mehmet Fırat Baran: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8133-6670 Atilla Levent Tuna: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5123-0031
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a naturally occurring antioxidant that has attracted considerable interest for its applications in nanobiotechnology, controlled drug delivery, and agricultural sciences. In the present study, a magnetic chitosan-coated liposomal nanocomposite incorporating ALA was synthesized and comprehensively characterized. Structural analyses demonstrated a spherical and well-dispersed morphology with an average crystallite size of 19.42 nm, as determined by X-ray diffraction. Elemental characterization confirmed the presence of Fe, C, O, and S, with iron accounting for 64% of the composition, while FT-IR analysis verified successful integration of the composite constituents through characteristic functional group interactions. The antioxidant properties of ALA are associated with its ability to suppress lipid peroxidation and reduce oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species. These effects are particularly relevant for plant systems, where oxidative balance directly influences growth, development, stress tolerance, and overall physiological performance. To enhance the stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery of ALA, liposomal formulations were functionalized with magnetic iron oxide and chitosan, yielding a multifunctional nanocarrier platform. The developed ALA-conjugated nanocomposite exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, including improved stability, controlled morphology, and enhanced surface characteristics. Owing to the biocompatible nature of liposomal and chitosan-based systems, the synthesized material is expected to possess low toxicity while maintaining efficient delivery performance. This study highlights the potential of magnetic chitosan-coated liposomal nanoparticles as innovative carriers for ALA and provides a basis for future investigations into their biological activity, biocompatibility, and applications in plant-based and therapeutic delivery systems.
No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.
Not applicable.
MY and MFB: Conceptualization, Methodology, Investigation, Writing-original draft. SK: Investigation, Writing – review and editing. ALT: Project administration, Supervision, Formal analysis, Data curation, Visualization.
This study complies with internationally accepted research ethics standards. No human participants, personal data, or confidential information were involved, or all ethical approvals were obtained where required.
TThis work was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University (Project No. BAP- 24/169/07/1).
The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this study.
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March 05, 2026; Reviewed: May 12, 2026; Accepted: May 25, 2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62088/timbb/10.1.2Keywords:
Magnetic Fe3O4 /alpha-lipoic acid, chitosan, Spinacia oleracea, SEM-EDX, FTIR
Yıldıztekin M., Köşkeroğlu S., Baran M., Tuna A. (2026). Synthesis and characterization of magnetic Fe3O4 /chitosan/ ALA nanocomposite. TIMBB, 10 (1), 12-19.