Bergamot Essential Oil Nanoemulsions: Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Z. Naturforsch. 2020; 75(7–8)c: 279–290 Enrico Marchese, Nunzia D’onofrio, Maria Luisa Balestrieri, Domenico Castaldo, Giovanna Ferrari and Francesco Donsì* Bergamot essential oil nanoemulsions: antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity https://doi.org/10.1515/ZNC-2019-0229 nanoemulsions might find use in therapeutic applications Received December 19, 2019; accepted May 17, 2020 as anticarcinogenic agents. Abstract: Bergamot essential oil (BEO) is well-known for Keywords: antimicrobial activity; bergamot essential oil; its food preservation activity, as well as anticancer efficacy. cytotoxicity; Caco2 cells; nanoemulsion; stability. However, the poor BEO water solubility and deriving low bioaccessibility have limited its wider applications. The incorporation in nanoemulsions of BEO and its refined 1 Introduction fractions was investigated to enhance its dispersibility in water to promote its antimicrobial activity, tested against Essential oils (EOs) are naturally-derived ingredients, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, and Saccharo- whichcanbefoundinflowers,buds,seeds,leaves, myces cerevisiae, and its cytotoxicity already at low con- herbs, wood, fruits, and roots of different plants [1, 2]. centrations. Different nanoemulsion formulations were They consist of a mixture of volatile compounds, mainly tested based on food-grade ingredients, which were char- synthesized by plants as a defense mechanism, which fi acterized in terms of hydrodynamic diameter and poly- can be classi ed in two main groups, namely (a) terpenes dispersity index, and physical stability. The antimicrobial and terpenoids and (b) aromatic and aliphatic constitu- – activity against all the tested micro-organisms was ents [3], accounting for 20 85% of EO composition, with fi observed to be higher for BEO in its initial composition, the other components being generally present at signi - than the light fraction, richer in D-limonene, ß-pinene, and cantly lower or trace concentrations. EOs are character- fl γ-terpinene, or the heavy fraction, richer in linalyl acetate ized not only by a strong and pungent avor and aroma, and linalool. Remarkably, the use of BEO nanoemulsions which contributed to their well-known use as perfume fl notably enhanced the antimicrobial activity for all the constituents and avoring agents, but also by insecti- fl tested oils. BEO exhibited also a measurable cytotoxic ac- cidal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-in ammatory – tivity against Caco-2 cells, which was also enhanced by the properties [1 5], promoting their application in pharma- use of the different nanoemulsions tested, in comparison ceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic products. However, with free oil, which discourages the direct use of BEO it must be remarked that above a certain dosage, EOs fl nanoemulsions as a food preservative. Conversely, BEO might negatively in uence human health, due to the high content in terpenes [6]. Bergamot essential oil (BEO), recovered from the peel of the Citrus bergamia Risso et Poiteau plant [7], finds wide *Corresponding author: Francesco Donsì, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 use in the fragrance, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food Fisciano, Italy, E-mail: [email protected] industries [8]. It contains up to 93–96% of volatile com- Enrico Marchese: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of pounds, especially monoterpenes (25–53% of limonene), Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, Italy linalool (2–20%), and linalyl acetate (15–40%). BEO also ’ Nunzia D onofrio and Maria Luisa Balestrieri: Department of Precision presents a variable percentage (4–7%) of non-volatile Medicine, Università degli Studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via compounds, such as pigments, waxes, coumarins, and L. De Crecchio 7, 80138, Napoli, Italy Domenico Castaldo: ProdAl Scarl, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, psoralens [9, 10]. Fisciano, Italy; Stazione Sperimentale per le Industrie delle Essenze e Besides being a valuable and expensive fragrance for dei derivati dagli Agrumi (SSEA), Azienda Speciale della CCIAA di the perfume industry, BEO is also reported to have note- Reggio Calabria, Via Generale Tommasini 2, 89127, Reggio Calabria, worthy biological activity [8], of interest especially in pain Italy; Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico (MiSE), Via Molise 2, Roma, relief [11–13], wound healing [14], neuroprotective action Italy – Giovanna Ferrari: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of [15, 16], sedative, calming, and soothing action [10 19], Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, Italy; ProdAl Scarl, antibacterial and antifungal activity [20–23], anti- via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, Italy inflammatory action [24, 25], as well as anticancer activity, Open Access. © 2020 Enrico Marchese et al., published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 280 E. Marchese et al.: Bergamot essential oil nanoemulsions with cytotoxicity reported against human neuroblastoma 2 Materials and Methods cells [26–28]. Generally speaking, citrus EOs are considered to be 2.1 Materials non-toxic, non-mutagenic, and non-carcinogenic, and, therefore, are characterized by a generally regarded as safe BEO, obtained from cold pressing of bergamot peels, was obtained (GRAS) status [8, 29]. However, BEO is reported to have a from the Stazione Sperimentale per le Industre delle Essenze e dei phototoxic effect due to the presence of bergapten, leading Derivati dagli Agrumi (Italy). Whey protein isolates (WP) Volactive to chronic skin pigmentation and carcinogenesis in the UltraWhey 90 were obtained from Volac Int. Ltd (Orwell, UK). Ac- presence of UV light. No hazards are reported for cording to manufacturer specifications, WP consisted of ß-lactoglob- ulin (50–60% wt), glycomacropeptide (15–20% wt), a-lactalbumin furanocoumarin-free oil, such as rectified BEO [8]. (15–20% wt), bovine serum albumin (1.0–2.0% wt), immunoglobulin ’ Because of EOs reactivity and hydrophobicity, their use G (1.0–2.0% wt), immunoglobulin A (0.1–1.0% wt), and lactoferrin in water-based products requires a suitable carrier [4, 5], (0.1–0.5% wt). Acetylated distarch adipate modified starch (MS) which ensures adequate physical stability of EOs, including CLEARAM1 CH20 was obtained from Reire s.r.l. (Reggio Emilia, Italy). also their protection from evaporation, and possibly enables Sugar esters (SE), polysorbate Tween 20 (T20), glycerol monooleate a controlled release [30]. Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions and (GMO) were acquired from Sigma-Aldrich (Germany). Corn oil (CO) (Giglio Oro, Carapelli, Italy) was used as a ripening inhibitor. nanoemulsions are especially suitable for the delivery of EOs, All chemicals and solvents used in this study were purchased because of their oil-based core, high loading capability, and from Sigma Aldrich (Milan, Italy) unless otherwise specified. All the large variety of available food-grade emulsifiers and sta- growth media for culturing micro-organisms were purchased from bilizers, for tailoring the compatibility with the final product. Oxoid Ltd (UK). MilliQ water was used in the preparation of O/W In previous papers, the researchers demonstrated the nanoemulsions and for the preparation of all reagents and buffers. antimicrobial effect of citrus EOs nanoemulsions, including 2.2 Characterization of the bergamot essential oil BEO, when incorporated in an edible coating deposited on broccoli florets [31] and green beans [32], as well as the BEO composition was determined by gas chromatography-mass spec- fungitoxic activity in vitro of BEO nanoemulsions of different troscopy (GC–MS) analysis (GC–MS Finnigan-Focus, Thermo-Fisher Sci- formulations [33]. Moreover, recent studies have pointed out entific, UK), as previously described [31, 38]. An RTX-5 SIL MS capillary that citrus oils and their emulsions, which are widely used as column (30 m long, 0.25 mm i.d. and 0.25 µm film thickness) was used flavoring agents in food and beverage products due to their with a cross-linked stationary phase of polyethylene glycol (Restek), with flavor, exhibit a certain non-digestibility and instability, the following conditions: helium as the carrier gas, injector in split-mode with a split flow of 20 mL/min at 250 °C, ion source at 250 °C, transfer line which can be partially corrected by blending them with tri- at 260 °C. The compounds were separated using a temperature program acylglycerol oils (e. g. corn oil or medium-chain triglyceride with an initial temperature of 80 °C for 10 min and a temperature gradient oil) in emulsion preparation [34]. of 25 °C/min to reach 250 °C, which was maintained for 10 min. The This work aims at investigating BEO incorporation in sample (3 µL) was injected using the split technique. The ionization was nanoemulsions, to enhance its antimicrobial activity produced by electronic impact at 70 eV. The eluted compounds were identified using the retention times and by comparing their mass spectra against Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus delbrueckii sp. lactis, with a spectral library of known standard compounds. The identification and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and cytotoxic activity wascarriedoutinfullscanmodebetween40and400amu. against epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (Caco- GC-MS analysis was carried out on the BEO as received, and on 2), with a specific focus on the BEO composition, nano- three different light fractions obtained from a glass laboratory distil- emulsion formulation,