Improved anti-Cutibacterium acnes activity of tea tree oil-loaded chitosan-poly(ε-caprolactone) core-shell nanocapsules

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces, B, Biointerfaces Vol. 196; p. 111371
• Main Authors: da Silva, Natália Prado, Carmo Rapozo Lavinas Pereira, Eloá do, Duarte, Lucas Mattos, de Oliveira Freitas, Jhamine Caroline, de Almeida, Camila Guimarães, da Silva, Thiago Pereira, Melo, Rossana C.N., Morais Apolônio, Ana Carolina, de Oliveira, Marcone Augusto Leal, de Mello Brandão, Humberto, Pittella, Frederico, Fabri, Rodrigo Luiz, Tavares, Guilherme Diniz, de Faria Pinto, Priscila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Acne vulgaris; Chitosan; Core-shell nanocapsules; Poly(ε-caprolactone); Tea tree oil; Acne vulgaris; Poly(ε-caprolactone); Chitosan; Core-shell nanocapsules; Tea tree oil
• ISSN: 0927-7765; 1873-4367
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2020.111371

[Display omitted] •Tea tree oil-loaded core-shell nanocapsules for acne treatment were prepared.•Chitosan was used to coat thenanocapsules containing tea tree oil.•The MIC of tea tree oil-loaded nanocapsules against C. acnes decreased four times.•Tea tree oil-loaded nanocapsules provided a decrease in C. acnes cell viability. The purpose of this study was to develop tea tree oil (TTO)-loaded chitosan-poly(ε-caprolactone) core-shell nanocapsules (NC-TTO-Ch) aiming the topical acne treatment. TTO was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and nanocapsules were characterized regarding mean particle size (Z-average), polydispersity index (PdI), zeta potential (ZP), pH, entrapment efficiency (EE), morphology by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and anti-Cutibacterium acnes activity. The main constituents of TTO were terpinen-4-ol (37.11 %), γ-terpinene (16.32 %), α-terpinene (8.19 %), ρ-cimene (6.56 %), and α-terpineol (6.07 %). NC-TTO-Ch presented Z-average of 268.0 ± 3.8 nm and monodisperse size distribution (PdI < 0.3). After coating the nanocapsules with chitosan, we observed an inversion in ZP to a positive value (+31.0 ± 1.8 mV). This finding may indicate the presence of chitosan on the nanocapsules' surface, which was corroborated by the AFM images. In addition, NC-TTO-Ch showed a slightly acidic pH (∼5.0), compatible with topical application. The EE, based on Terpinen-4-ol concentration, was approximately 95 %. This data suggests the nanocapsules' ability to reduce the TTO volatilization. Furthermore, NC-TTO-Ch showed significant anti-C. acnes activity, with a 4× reduction in the minimum inhibitory concentration, compared to TTO and a decrease in C. acnes cell viability, with an increase in the percentage of dead cells (17 %) compared to growth control (6.6 %) and TTO (9.7 %). Therefore, chitosan-poly(ε-caprolactone) core-shell nanocapsules are a promising tool for TTO delivery, aiming at the activity against C. acnes for the topical acne treatment.