Antifungal Activity of Nanoemulsion of Iranian  Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) Essential Oil

F. Jafari Kiasari; M.  Azizkhani; F.  Tooryan

doi:10.18502/jfqhc.9.1.9690

F. Jafari Kiasari Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
M. Azizkhani Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran
F. Tooryan Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Amol University of Special Modern Technologies, Amol, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jfqhc.9.1.9690

Keywords: Antifungal Agents, Artemisia, Oils, Volatile, Nanotechnology, Emulsions

Abstract

Background: Despite the considerable activity of herbal Essential Oils (EOs) as safe food preservatives, problems such as high volatility, low water solubility, and low
stability in adverse environmental conditions restrict their use in food products. This work aimed to investigate in vitro antifungal activity of oil-in-water nanoemulsion of Iranian Artemisia dracunculus L. (tarragon) EO.

Methods: Nanoemulsion of tarragon EO was formed by ultrasound method through blending 10 wt% of tarragon EO, 85 wt% water, and the mixture of 5 wt% surfactants (Tween^® 80/Span^® 80). The droplet size and zeta potential were measured. The antifungal activity was evaluated against four different fungi, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., and Saccharomyces cerevisiae through determining Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MFC), and mycelial growth test. Data were statistically analyzed by the software of SPSS 22.0.

Results: Main fragments of tarragon EO found to be beta-cis-ocimene, estragole, and
beta-trans-ocimene. Nanodroplets had a zeta potential of -30 mV and an average diameter of 50 nm. For A. niger, Penicillium spp., Fusarium spp., and S. cerevisiae, the MIC and MFC values of nanoemulsion were identical and obtained at 1.50, 2.05, 1.61, and 1.14 µg/ml, respectively, while these values of free EO were higher and as follows: 2.81, 4.52, 3.75, and 2.40 µg/ml, respectively. Mycelial growth showed that encapsulated EO had the most fungitoxic potential against A. niger (inhibition 41%) and S. cerevisiae (inhibition 68%). Also, Penicillium spp. was the most resistant against both EO and nanoemulsion.

Conclusion: The growth inhibitory activity of tarragon was significantly enhanced when encapsulated as nanoemulsion.