Nanoemulsions containing Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil: Development, characterization, stability study and evaluation of antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis 2018-05, Vol.118, p.268-276
• Main Authors: da Silva Gündel, Samanta, de Souza, Márcia Ebling, Quatrin, Priscilla Maciel, Klein, Bruna, Wagner, Roger, Gündel, André, Vaucher, Rodrigo de Almeida, Santos, Roberto Christ Vianna, Ourique, Aline Ferreira
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Lemongrass; Microbial resistance; Nanotechnology; Natural products; Stability
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.03.043

The increase of microbial resistance generates the search for new substances with antimicrobial potential. The essential oil of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass) stands out in the literature for its antimicrobial, insecticide and antioxidant properties, but it has high volatilization and low stability, and the nanoencapsulation of this oil could be an alternative to overcome these limitations. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop, for the first time, nanoemulsions containing the essential oil of C. flexuosus, through a method that does not use organic solvent and with temperature control to avoid the volatilization of the oil, characterize and evaluate of stability and the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of these nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsions presented adequate physicochemical characteristics (average size less than 200 nm, polydispersity index less than 0.3, negative zeta potential and acid pH) which were maintained during 90 days of storage, and the nanoencapsulation of the C. flexuosus oil enhanced its therapeutic efficacy against the microorganisms evaluated in this study compared to the free oil. These results are very promising because among the microorganisms that the nanoemulsion containing C. flexuosus was able to inhibit the formation of biofilm are the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which were recently listed by the World Health Organization as priority pathogens for development of new antibiotics. [Display omitted] •Method that does not use organic solvent and with temperature control.•Nanoencapsulation potentiated the activity of the oil of Cymbopogon flexuosus.•Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a priority for the development of new treatments.•Only the nanoemulsion presented activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.