Abstract
Chitosan nanoparticles (CS) and chitosan/pepper tree (Schinus molle) essential oil (CS-EO) bionanocomposites were synthesized by nanoprecipitation method and the in vitro antifungal activity against Aspergillus parasiticus spores was evaluated. The shape and size were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The surface charge was determined by assessing the zeta potential and the inclusion of essential oil in bionanocomposites using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The effect on cell viability of the fungus was evaluated using the XTT technique and morphometric analysis by image processing. SEM and DLS analysis indicated that spherical particles with larger diameters for CS-EO biocomposites were observed. Zeta potential values were higher (+11.1 ± 1.60 mV) for CS nanoparticles. Results suggest a chemical interaction between chitosan and pepper tree essential oil. The highest concentration of CS-EO complex caused a larger (40–50%) decrease in A. parasiticus viability. The inclusion of pepper tree oil in CS nanoparticles is a feasible alternative to obtain antifungal biocomposites, where the activity that each compound presents individually is strengthened.
Highlights
Environmental risks to humans, flora, and fauna have increased significantly in recent years due to excessive use of chemical fungicides and the development of resistance in species of pathogenic fungi due to the indiscriminate use of chemical agents [1]
The size of the chitosan nanoparticles was in the range 20–100 nm (Figure 1(a)), while the chitosan/pepper tree oil bionanocomposites were in the range 200–600 nm (Figure 1(b))
The essential oil extracted from pepper tree leaves (Schinus molle) can be coupled to chitosan in form of bionanocomposites by nanoprecipitation
Summary
Environmental risks to humans, flora, and fauna have increased significantly in recent years due to excessive use of chemical fungicides and the development of resistance in species of pathogenic fungi due to the indiscriminate use of chemical agents [1]. Essential oils (EOs) of plants contain a number of bioactive compounds and are widely used in food, cosmetics, and industry because of their antioxidant properties and antibacterial and antifungal activity [3,4,5]. They constitute an important group of plant products that provide the characteristic odors of the aromatic plants from which they were extracted
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