NANO-ENCAPSULATION OF Lippia origanoides KUNTH. ESSENTIAL OIL BY CHITOSAN-CAFFEIC ACID NANOGEL

In this study, a nanogel was developed from a natural polymer, chitosan, to be used in the Lippia origanoides essential oil encapsulation. The encapsulation process was used in order to improve the functional capacity of this essential oil as an antioxidant. To obtain the nanogel, the chitosan was modified with caffeic acid using EDC coupling agent. The obtained material was characterized by FTIR and TGA, revealing the formation of the chitosan-caffeic acid bond. The size, morphology and essential oil amount incorporated to the nanogel were investigated by DLS, SEM and gravimetric analysis, respectively. SEM and gravimetric analysis indicated that oil were efficiently trapped inside the CS-CA matrix, with encapsulation efficiency of 42 ± 2%. The EDL studies showed that the encapsulation of essential oil in the nanogel significantly affected your structure, with a average particle size of 417.26 ± 55.96. After essential oil incorporation into the CS-CA nanogel it was also observed a increase in its antioxidant capacity in terms of elimination of DPPH and ABTS radicals, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). The successful development of this CS-CA nanogel loaded with L. origanoides essential oil will lead to a better applicability of this essential oil as an effective antioxidant.