Work

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Ocotea indecora Essential Oil and Its Nanoemulsion

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Antimicrobial resistance and fungal contamination remain major threats to public health and agriculture, emphasizing the need for innovative alternatives. Plant-derived products are a promising alternative, and nanoformulations may further enhance their activity. Objective: This study investigated the antimicrobial potential of Ocotea indecora essential oil and its nanoemulsion. Methods/Results: The essential oil chemical characterization by GC-MS revealed sesquirosefuran (91.61%) as the main constituent. A factorial design guided the selection of an optimized nanoemulsion, which exhibited spherical nanometric droplets (79 nm and 0.029 PdI) with long-term stability. The essential oil inhibited the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains at 1 to 2 mg/mL, while the nanoemulsion enhanced bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, antifungal assays revealed a more pronounced effect, with the nanoemulsion lowering the minimum inhibitory concentrations (625 µg/mL) against Thielaviopsis ethacetica, thereby enhancing the inhibitory activity of the essential oil (2.5 mg/mL). Morphological alterations, including thinner hyphae and impaired sporulation, were also detected, suggesting a reduction in fungal virulence. Conclusions: In summary, O. indecora essential oil shows promising antimicrobial potential, and nanoemulsification proved particularly effective in potentiating fungistatic activity while offering limited enhancement of bactericidal effects. The results support the potential of O. indecora derivatives as natural candidates for the development of novel antimicrobial strategies.

Source: Pharmaceuticals

DOI: 10.3390/ph18121909