Encapsulation of essential oils in solid lipid carriers: technological development and applications

• Grant number: 14/15905-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Industrial Operations and Equipment for Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Wanderley Pereira Oliveira
• Grantee: Wanderley Pereira Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cláudia Regina Fernandes de Souza
• Associated research grant(s): 14/25934-9 - Multi-User Equipment approved in grant 2014-15905-1: system for measurement of zeta potential, molecular weight and particle size of dispersed systems (Nano ZS90), AP.EMU

Abstract

Essential oils (EOs) are complex mixtures of various volatile molecules (hydrophobic) produced by the plants secondary metabolism. Terpenoids (mono, di- and sesquiterpenes) and oxygenated compounds (eg, alcohols, esters, ethers, aldheydes, ketones, ester and phenolic lactones, and others) are the majors classes of compounds present in EOs. Essential oils have high importance in various industrial sectors, such as pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, health, agriculture and livestock. Their wide spectrum of use is mainly linked to its proven bactericidal, virucide, fungicide, antiparasitic, insecticidal, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic and local anesthetic activities, depending of EO composition. Essential oils have also been used in food protection (as antioxidants and preservatives), and also embedded in active food packaging. The volatility is the main feature of EOs, which differentiates them from the fixed oils, mainly due to their characteristic odor. However, besides the high volatility, EOs also present significant instability problems, and may undergo irreversible changes of their physicochemical properties due to exposure to heat, moisture, oxygen and light. Their low water solubility is another limitation for the use of EOs in various applications. In this way, micro and nanoencapsulation technologies of plant derived substances, including EOs, arises as a viable and effective solution, increasing the product physicochemical stability, furnishing protection against environmental factors, reducing volatility, modulate the release, increasing bioavailability, reducing toxicity, among others. This technique involves the inclusion of the active agent in a carrier system, which may be composed of carbohydrates, gums, proteins, lipids, or other natural or synthetic polymeric materials. This technology allows, for example, to transform liquid and volatile substances in solids, alters product water solubility, protecting and modulating the release and functionality of active ingredients, and overcome of instability and incompatibility problems common in natural active ingredients. Encapsulation in lipid carriers has received significant attention in the pharmaceutical and food sectors, mainly due to the several attributed advantages such as low toxicity, capability to encapsulate hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, low production costs and ease scale up. This research project aims to investigate technologies for production of lipid based systems (micro and nanostructured) to stabilize and modulate the release and functionality of essential oils, focusing on preparation processes, type of excipients, dehydration methods, physicochemical product properties, and evaluation of biological activity (antimicrobial and antioxidant). Emulsification technologies, fusion and others, followed by dehydration steps (with addition of drying carriers), will be investigated. As model for the development of this project were selected EOs from two aromatic plants already under investigation by our group (USP, 2009; REIS et al, 2011), the Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) and Lippia sidoides (pepper-rosmarin). These species have shown huge potential of application in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmeceuticals among others, presenting significant antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. These species are also listed in the list of medicinal plants with potential to generate products of interest to the SUS (National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to SUS - RENISUS). (AU)

Scientific publications

(7)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ROSA, D. M.; OLIVEIRA, W. P.; CARCEL, JA; CLEMENTE, G; GARCIAPEREZ, JV; MULET, A; ROSSELLO, C. Spray drying of lipid nanosystems (SLN and NLC) loaded with Syzygium aromaticum essential oil. IDS'2018: 21ST INTERNATIONAL DRYING SYMPOSIUM, v. N/A, p. 8-pg., 2018-01-01. (11/10333-1, 14/15905-1)

OLIVEIRA, WANDERLEY P.; MIGUEL, LUCIANE M.. Encapsulation of volatile oils with antimicrobial activity in chitosan-beta CD molecular inclusion complexes by spray drying. Drying Technology, v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2022-09-01. (18/26069-0, 14/15905-1)

CORTES-ROJAS, DIEGO F.; SOUZA, CLAUDIA R. F.; OLIVEIRA, WANDERLEY P.. EFFECTS OF SURFACTANT TYPE ON RETENTION OF BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF SYZYGIUM AROMATICUM IN SPRAY DRIED LIPID BASED SYSTEMS. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES AND RESEARCH, v. 8, n. 12, p. 5057-5064, DEC 2017. (14/15905-1, 11/10333-1, 12/03427-2, 12/09890-6)

CLÁUDIA R. F. SOUZA; PATRÍCIA N. FERRAZ-FREITAS; WANDERLEY P. OLIVEIRA. COMPLEXOS DE INCLUSÃO BINÁRIOS, TERNÁRIOS E QUATERNÁRIOS CONTENDO ÓLEO ESSENCIAL DE Lippia sidoides. Química Nova, v. 39, n. 8, p. 979-986, 2016-09-00. (14/15905-1, 11/10333-1)

BALDIM, IARA; TONANI, LUDMILLA; VON ZESKA KRESS, MARCIA REGINA; OLIVEIRA, WANDERLEY PEREIRA. Lippia sidoides essential oil encapsulated in lipid nanosystem as an anti-Candida agent. INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS, v. 127, p. 73-81, JAN 2019. (14/15905-1)

BALDIM, IARA; PAZIANI, MARIO H.; GRIZANTE BARIAO, PATRICIA H.; KRESS, MARCIA R. VON ZESKA; OLIVEIRA, WANDERLEY P.. anostructured Lipid Carriers Loaded with Lippia sidoides Essential Oil as a Strategy to Combat the Multidrug-Resistant Candida auri. PHARMACEUTICS, v. 14, n. 1, JAN 2022. (14/15905-1, 18/26069-0)

BANKOLE, VICTOR OLORUNTOBA; OSUNGUNNA, MICHAEL OLUWOLE; FERNANDES SOUZA, CLAUDIA REGINA; SALVADOR, SERGIO LUIZ; OLIVEIRA, WANDERLEY PEREIRA. Spray-Dried Proliposomes: an Innovative Method for Encapsulation of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Polyphenols. AAPS PHARMSCITECH, v. 21, n. 5, MAY 18 2020. (14/15905-1, 18/26069-0, 11/10333-1)