Abstract
Carbendazim (MBC) (methyl-2-benzimidazole carbamate) and tebuconazole (TBZ) ((RS)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)pentan-3-ol) are widely used in agriculture for the prevention and control of fungal diseases. Solid lipid nanoparticles and polymeric nanocapsules are carrier systems that offer advantages including changes in the release profiles of bioactive compounds and their transfer to the site of action, reduced losses due to leaching or degradation, and decreased toxicity in the environment and humans. The objective of this study was to prepare these two types of nanoparticle as carrier systems for a combination of TBZ and MBC, and then investigate the release profiles of the fungicides as well as the stabilities and cytotoxicities of the formulations. Both nanoparticle systems presented high association efficiency (>99%), indicating good interaction between the fungicides and the nanoparticles. The release profiles of MBC and TBZ were modified when the compounds were loaded in the nanoparticles, and cytotoxicity assays showed that encapsulation of the fungicides decreased their toxicity. These fungicide systems offer new options for the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases in plants.
Highlights
The fungal diseases that affect crops worldwide are not a new problem
Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are other promising carrier systems are that can be used to transport nonpolar substances whose mobility is restricted by interaction with the lipids, resulting in modified release profiles[20,21]
The main advantages of SLNs and polymeric nanoparticles for use in agriculture are their low toxicities, since the matrices are composed of low toxicity polymers (such as poly(ε -caprolactone)) and lipids that are present in many organisms[26,27]
Summary
The fungal diseases that affect crops worldwide are not a new problem. In the 19th century, a fungal disease destroyed potato crops in Ireland and led to one of the greatest European famines of those times. Poly(ε-caprolactone) is an aliphatic polyester that is insoluble in water, biodegradable, and biocompatible, amongst other useful physicochemical properties[15,16] This polymer can be used to synthesize the nanocapsules possessing an oily interior that are capable of efficiently encapsulating hydrophobic compounds including tebuconazole and carbendazim[17,18,19]. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are other promising carrier systems are that can be used to transport nonpolar substances whose mobility is restricted by interaction with the lipids, resulting in modified release profiles[20,21] Advantages of these carrier systems include the requirement for smaller quantities of active agents, reduced losses due to leaching, degradation, and volatilization, and lower environmental impacts[22,23,24,25]. Carrier systems that have been reported for fungicides include hydrogels and spheres used as carriers for thiram[28,29,30,31], silica nanospheres containing tebuconazol[13], cyclodextrins encapsulating carbendazim[32,33], and polymeric microparticles containing tebuconazole[34]
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