Antibacterial activity of essential oils encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study, cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and Schinus molle essential oils (at 125, 250 and 500 µg/mL) were encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles by ionotropic gelation. Their antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus sp., Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae (BLEE +) and Pseudomona aeruginosa carbapenemase producer was evaluated. The obtained nanoparticles exhibited a regular distribution and spherical shape with size range of 19.7 to 361 nm as observed by using a laser light scattering equipment. It was found that the studied chitosan nanoparticles with essential oils showed high antimicrobial effect than the chitosan and essential oils alone. Enterococcus sp. was the most sensitive bacteria and S. aureus the most resistant. Chitosan nanoparticles and chitosan nanoparticles with cinnamon and thyme essential oils were capable to inhibit growth of Enterococcus sp. and K. pneumoniae. This study demonstrated that chitosan nanoparticles with essential oils were effective against some foodborne pathogens.

Bioactivity of Citral and Its Nanoparticle in Attenuating Pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Controlling Drosophila melanogaster

“…From the results of above experiments, it can be concluded that the antimicrobial and QSI effects of citral nanoparticles are more potent than the free form of citral. These findings are coherent with similar study with cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), and Schinus molle EO when encapsulated with the CS nanoparticles and showed enhanced antimicrobial activity than the CS and EOs alone [37][38][39]. However, not a single article reports QSI activity of nanoparticles/EOs in comparison with their free EO.…”

Oregano and Thyme Essential Oils Encapsulated in Chitosan Nanoparticles as Effective Antimicrobial Agents against Foodborne Pathogens

“…MIC values of CNPs were equal to and slightly lower than Or-CNPs and Th-CNPs, respectively. Examples of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with different essential oils that have greater or even less antimicrobial activity than empty chitosan nanoparticles are reported in the literature [ 22 , 45 ]. In fact, the antibacterial activity of the EO-NPs is due to the contribution of several factors (composition of essential oils, diffusion, surface charge, size, etc.)…”

“…The improvement of preservation of fruit in term of fungal decay by using chitosan-essential oils film or nanoemulsions was described by Grande-Tovar et al [ 21 ]. Barrera-Ruiz et al [ 22 ] reported chitosan nanoparticles loaded with cinnamon, thyme, and Schinus molle essential oils that were effective against some foodborne pathogens. Chitosan nanoparticles containing thyme essential oil were prepared by Barzegar et al [ 23 ].…”

Ruta Essential Oils: Composition and Bioactivities

“…This technology has already been playing a major role in advancing and impacting almost all areas of science, especially, drug formulation and delivery. Nanotechnology has recently been applied to the targeted delivery of essential oils in order to enhance their efficacies, and publications demonstrating this new approach have just begun to appear in the literature; for example, enhanced efficacy of essential oils has been demonstrated with chitosan nanoparticles loaded with essential oils against multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae [ 120 ], and other bacterial species, e.g., Enterococcus faecalis , Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa [ 121 ]. Because of the nonpolar nature of the essential oils, microencapsulation and/or nanoencapsulation often enhances delivery efficiency of essential oils.…”