Antibacterial activity of basil oil (Ocimum basilicum L) and basil oil nanoemulsion

Abstract

Basil oil contains bioactive compounds with antibacterial activity. One way to increase the antibacterial activity of basil oil is to use a nanoemulsion design. This study aims to obtain a nanoemulsion of basil oil with the best antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus compared to basil oil. Process isolation of basil oils uses the method of steam distillation. The nanoemulsion process uses the ultrasound method. The essential oils and nanoemulsions produced were analyzed by GC-MS. The five components of basil oils with the largest percent area are sabinene (60,01%), myrcene (17,76%), trans-caryophyllene (4,08%), linalool (2,58%), and alpha-pellandrene (2,35%). Whereas in nanoemulsion are sabinene (44,68%), myrcene (17,86%), trans-caryophyllene (8,15%), terpineol-4 (6,65%), and 1.6-octadient-3-ol 3,7-dimethyl (4,89%). The basil oil has a droplet size of 54960 nm while the nanoemulsion of basil oil has a droplet size of 243.4 nm. The concentration of basil oil influences the antibacterial activity. The essential oil of basil, at a concentration of 10% to 25%, has a zone of low to medium protein inhibition at E. coli and is strongly directed towards S. aureus. The nanoemulsion of essential oils at a concentration of 5% to 25% has a moderate to strong inhibition zone in E. coli and a moderate to a very strong group in S. aureus.