Polymeric Nanoparticles of Pistacia lentiscus var. chia Essential Oil for Cutaneous Applications

Abstract

Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulating Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia essential oil (EO) were prepared by a solvent evaporation method, in order to obtain a novel carrier for administration on the skin. The specific EO exhibits antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties thus stimulating considerable interest as a novel agent for the treatment of minor skin inflammations. The incorporation into nanoparticles could overcome the administration limitations that inserts the nature of the EO. Nanoparticles were prepared, utilizing poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as shell material, due to its biocompatibility and biodegradability, while the influence of surfactant type on NPs properties was examined. Two surfactants were selected, namely poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and lecithin (LEC) and NPs’ physicochemical characteristics i.e. size, polydispersity index (PdI) and ζ-potential were determined, not indicating significant differences (p > 0.05) between PLA/PVA-NPs (239.9 nm, 0.081, -29.1 mV) and PLA/LEC-NPs (286.1 nm, 0.167, −34.5 mV). However, encapsulation efficiency (%EE) measured by GC-MS, was clearly higher for PLA/PVA-NPs than PLA/LEC-NPs (37.45% vs. 9.15%, respectively). Moreover PLA/PVA-NPs remained stable over a period of 60 days. The in vitro release study indicated gradual release of the EO from PLA/PVA-NPs and more immediate from PLA/LEC-NPs. The above findings, in addition to the SEM images of the particles propose a potential structure of nanocapsules for PLA/PVA-NPs, where shell material is mainly consisted of PLA, enclosing the EO in the core. However, this does not seem to be the case for PLA/LEC-NPs, as the results indicated low EO content, rapid release and a considerable percentage of humidity detected by SEM. Furthermore, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the EO was determined against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, while NPs, however did not exhibit considerable activity in the concentration range applied. In conclusion, the surfactant selection may modify the release of EO incorporated in NPs for topical application allowing its action without interfering to the physiological skin microbiota.

Chemical Profiling of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia Resin and Essential Oil: Ageing Markers and Antimicrobial Activity

“…It is worth mentioning that one of the first pharmacological properties of CMG and CMO that were examined by modern day science was their antimicrobial activity, and especially their efficacy against Helicobacter pylori and oral and periodontal pathogens [24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. In fact, according to the study of Miyamoto et al, CMO exhibits a notable anti-H. pylori activity against four different strains, established from patients with gastritis, gastric ulcer, and gastric cancer [26].…”

“…In addition, CMO was found potent against several food-borne microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella sp. [24,25,27,29,31]. Furthermore, both CMG and CMO are used in numerous products and have a wide spectrum of applications.…”

Exploitation of traditional healing properties, using the nanotechnology’s advantages: The case of curcumin

“…Consequently, the matrix fluidity and the way of deconstruction of the nanocarrier affect the release kinetic of the encapsulated CUR. Although the early release of CUR in the high pH (7.4) environment of the scratch test assay do not favor the stability of the molecule [ 48 ] it may be useful in case of immediate control of the disease symptoms in target area, while for a prolonged treatment is necessary to maintain CUR concentration within a lower release rate [ 49 , 50 ].…”

Nanoparticles—Attractive Carriers of Antimicrobial Essential Oils

“…The MIC of EO against E. coli and B. subtilis was found to be 5 mg/mL and 1.25 mg/mL, respectively. PLA/PVA-NPs tested at 3.4 mg/mL of EO concentration demonstrated prolonged release, supporting their use as carriers for topical applications [ 164 ]. Iannitelli et al prepared carvacrol-loaded PLGA nanocapsules, by means of a solvent displacement approach, to combine the anti-biofilm action of carvacrol with the exceptional delivery characteristics of nanotechnology devices and the excellent biocompatibility of PLGA polymer.…”