OICC Press Progress in Biomaterials 2194-0517 15 1 2026 03 31 Sodium Alginate Encapsulated Melissa officinalis Extract using Nano Spray Drying: Characterization, and Release Studies 10.57647/pibm.2026.152604 EN Leila Bagherpour Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Samad Nejad Ebrahimi Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2167-8032 Hasan Rafati Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6867-3963 Marzieh Omrani Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2026 03 31 Polyphenols from Melissa officinalis exhibit notable antioxidant and therapeutic activities, yet their instability limits their practical application in food and pharmaceutical systems. Encapsulation with natural biopolymers offers a promising approach to improve stability, protect compounds from degradation, and support targeted delivery. This study developed a sodium-alginate encapsulation system to enhance the stability and enable controlled release of M. officinalis polyphenols. Encapsulated samples were produced using a fixed core-to-wall ratio through a nano spray-drying technique, and multiple drying conditions were optimized. The physicochemical and functional properties of the obtained encapsulated materials were analyzed using FTIR, DSC, particle size measurements, antioxidant assays, and in vitro release tests. The optimized formulation yielded uniform particles (∼ 620 nm) with high encapsulation efficiency (88.65 ± 0.57%) and a loading capacity of 16.4%. Structural analyses verified the successful entrapment of phenolic compounds within the alginate matrix and confirmed enhanced thermal stability. In vitro release studies demonstrated pH-responsive behavior, with limited release in acidic conditions and near-complete release at intestinal pH. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations further indicated favorable interactions between rosmarinic acid and the alginate network. The findings demonstrate that nano spray-dried sodium alginate colloids provide an effective system for delivering polyphenols, supporting their potential use in functional food and pharmaceutical products.