Abstract
Carvacrol has shown antimicrobial activity against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. However, its hydrophobic nature, volatility, and susceptibility to oxidation mediated by light or heat limit its use. Nanoencapsulation provides a protective barrier against degradation and volatilization processes and improves the dispersibility of bioactive compounds. A simple, rapid, and sensitive analytical method was developed and validated by UV spectrophotometry to quantify carvacrol in a nanoemulsion obtained by self-nanoemulsification, using acetonitrile as a solvent to recover the analyte from the nanoemulsion. The UV scanning spectrum of carvacrol (240–300 nm) in acetonitrile showed maximum absorbance at wavelength 275 nm, typical of this monoterpene. The calibration curve was linear from 15 to 65 μg/ml, with a determination coefficient of 0.999. The detection and quantification limits found were 1.6455 and 4.9863 μg/ml, respectively. The validation results confirmed that the method developed is specific, linear, accurate, and precise and it can be successfully applied for the determination of encapsulation efficiency and the content of carvacrol present in a nanoemulsion.
Graphical abstract
![](http://media.springernature.com/lw685/springer-static/image/art%3A10.1007%2Fs43450-021-00134-9/MediaObjects/43450_2021_134_Figa_HTML.png)
References
Al-Nasiri G, Cran MJ, Smallridge AJ, Bigger SW (2017) Optimisation of β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes with natural antimicrobial agents: thymol, carvacrol and linalool. J Microencapsul 35:26–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/02652048.2017.1413147
Bajerski L, Michels LR, Colomé LM, Bender EA, Freddo RJ, Bruxel F, Haas SE (2016) The use of Brazilian vegetable oils in nanoemulsions: an update on preparation and biological applications. Braz J Pharm Sci 52:347–363. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1984-82502016000300001
Barboza FM, Vecchia DD, Pereira AV, Stulzer HK, Silva MAS (2010) Development and validation of a simple and rapid analytical method by UV spectroscopy for acyclovir quantification in hydrophilic matrices for sustained release. Quim Nova 33:747–749. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-40422010000300047
Anvisa (2017) Resolução RDC No 166 de 24 de julho. Validação de métodos analíticos e outras providências, Agência Naciona de Vigilância Sanitária, Ministério da Saúde. DOU: Brasília. https://www.in.gov.br/materia/-/asset_publisher/Kujrw0TZC2Mb/content/id/19194581/do1-2017-07-25-resolucao-rdc-n-166-de-24-de-julho-de-2017-19194412. Accessed 15 October 2020
Da Rosa CG, Maciel MVOB, Carvalho SM, Melo APZ, Jummes B, Silva T, Martelli SM, Villetti MA, Bertoldid FC, Barreto PLM (2015) Characterization and evaluation of physicochemical and antimicrobial properties of zein nanoparticles loaded with phenolics monoterpenes. Colloids Surf Physicochem Eng Aspects 481:337–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2015.05.019
Engel JB, Heckler C, Tondo EC, Daroit DJ, Malheiros OS (2017) Antimicrobial activity of free and liposome-encapsulated thymol and carvacrol against Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus adhered to stainless steel. Int J Food Microbiol 252:18–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2017.04.003
Galindo-Pérez MJ, Quintanar-Guerrero D, Zambrano-Zaragoza ML, Cornejo-Villegas MA (2018) Optimization of the emulsification- diffusion method using ultrasound to prepare nanocapsules of different food-core oils. LWT - Food Sci Technol 87:333–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2017.09.008
Halnor VV, Pande VV, Borawake DD, Nagare HS (2018) Nanoemulsion: a novel platform for drug delivery system. J Mat Sci Nanotechol 6:104. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322951032_Nanoemulsion_A_Novel_Platform_for_Drug_Delivery_System. Accessed 5 October 2020.
Iannitelli A, Grande R, Di Stefano A, Di Giulio M, Sozio P, Bessa LJ, Laserra S, Paolini C, Protasi F, Cellini L (2011) Potential antibacterial activity of carvacrol-loaded poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles against microbial biofilm. Int J Mol Sci 12:5039-5051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms12085039
ICH (2005) International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use: Validation of analytical procedures: text and methodology Q2(R1). https://database.ich.org/sites/default/files/Q2_R1__Guideline.pdf Accessed 14 October 2020
Kamimura JK, Santos EH, Hill LE, Gomes CL (2014) Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of carvacrol microencapsulated in hydroxypropyl-betacyclodextrin. LWT-Food Sci Technol 57:701–709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.02.014
Liu F, Saricaoglu FT, Avena-Bustillos RJ, Bridges DF, Takeoka GR, Wu VCH, Chiou BS, Wood DF, McHugh TH, Zhong F (2018) Antimicrobial carvacrol in solution blow-spun fish-skin gelatin nanofibers. J Food Sci 83:984–991. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.14076
Marinelli L, Stefano A, Cacciatore I (2018) Carvacrol and its derivatives as antibacterial agents. Phytochem Rev 17:903. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-018-9569-x
Memar MY, Raei P, Alizadeh N, Akbari A, Masoud K, Hossein S (2017) Carvacrol and thymol: strong antimicrobial agents against resistant isolates. Rev Med Microbiol 28:63–68. https://doi.org/10.1097/MRM.0000000000000100
Nirmala MJ, Nagarajan R (2017) Recent research trends in fabrication and applications of plant essential oil-based nanoemulsions. J Nanomed Nanotechnol 8:2 000434 https://doi.org/10.4172/2157-7439.1000434
Ouazzou AA, Espina L, Gelaw T, Lamo-Castellví S, Pagán R, García-Gonzalo D (2013) New insights in mechanisms of bacterial inactivation by carvacrol. J Appl Microbiol 114:173–185. https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.12028
Patel HC, Parmar G, Seth AK, Patel JD, Patel SR (2013) Formulation and evaluation of o/w nanoemulsion of ketoconazole. Pharma Sci Monit 4:338-51. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259221871 Accessed 25 September 2020
Ryu V, McClements DJ, Corradini MG, Yang JS, McLandsborough L (2018) Natural antimicrobial delivery systems: formulation, antimicrobial activity, and mechanism of action of quillaja saponin-stabilized carvacrol nanoemulsions. Food Hydrocoll. 82:442–450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2018.04.017
Sharifi-Rad M, Varoni EM, Iriti M, Martorell M, Setzer WN, Contreras MM, Salehi B, Soltani-Nejad A, Rajabi S, Tajbakhsh M, Sharifi-Rad J (2018) Carvacrol and human health: a comprehensive review. Phytother Res 32:1675–1687. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6103
Smoluchowski MV (1916) Drei Vortrage uber Diffusion, Brownsche Bewegung und Koagulation von Kolloidteilchen. Physik Zeit 17:557-585. http://matwbn.icm.edu.pl/ksiazki/pms/pms2/pms2136.pdf Accessed 13 October 2020
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
RBIM performed the laboratory work and analysis of the data. TG contributed to critical reading of the manuscript. LM contributed to the development and characterization of the nanoencapsulation method. MBV contributed to nanoencapsulation method development. RAY contributed to the chemical analysis with methods and instrumentation. MM designed the study, supervised the laboratory experiments, and contributed to the spectrophotometric analyzes. All the authors have contributed to the drafting of the article and revising it critically for important intellectual content and approved the submission.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Supplementary Information
ESM 1
(PDF 481 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mibielli, R.B.I., Gerber, T., Mazzarino, L. et al. Development of a Spectrophotometric Method for Quantification of Carvacrol in Nanoemulsions. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 31, 116–120 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-021-00134-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43450-021-00134-9