Preparation and characterization of Ocimum tenuiflorum essential oil-loaded nanoformulation

Rafia Rehmana,b, Rabeea Muzaffara*, Aqsa Younasb, Afsar Banoc, Marghoob Ahmadd

aDepartment of Biological Sciences, National University of Medical sciences, Rawalpindi, 46000, Punjab, Pakistan

bDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of  Sciences, University of Okara,Okara 56130, Pakistan

cDepartment of Physics, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, LUMS 54792, Lahore, Pakistan

dSchool of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Essential oil based nano-formulations are need of the time as the efficacy and stability of such formulations have valuable applications in the field of medicine and cosmetic research. Hence, in present study, the essential oil from Ocimum tenuiflorum plant was extracted by hydro-distillation method. The compositional ingredients used to formulate o/w nanoemulsion by low energy spontaneous method. The physical characteristics of the emulsion were evaluated by analyzing pH, viscosity, conductivity and surface tension. The droplet size and zeta potential of the nanoemulsion was analyzed by using a Zetasizer. The essential oil was then added in the prepared nanoemulsion in different concentrations, resulting in the formation of 5 samples (F1 to F5). The samples showed significant antioxidant activity as tested by DPPH method. Mosquito repellency tests of these essential oil loaded nanoemulsions showed that the activity increase with increasing e. oil concentration with 100 % repellency for F5. The results of the present study suggested that the prepared formulation can be used as an important ingredient to formulate green mosquito repellent products.