Issue 64, 2018, Issue in Progress

Hybrid-silica nanoparticles as a delivery system of the natural biocide carvacrol

Abstract

Bacterial resistance to common antibiotics necessitates innovative solutions. The phenolic antimicrobial compound carvacrol, a major ingredient in the Essential Oils (EOs) of oregano and thyme, has the advantages of natural compounds such as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status, but needs an appropriate delivery system designed to overcome its drawbacks (such as low aqueous solubility, easy phenol oxidation, heat/light inactivation, distinct odor). An alkoxysilane incorporating the carvacrol moiety is synthesized and subsequently employed to fabricate hybrid silica nanoparticles (NPs) with carvacrol covalently bound to the silica matrix. The enzymatically hydrolyzable carbamate bond turns these NPs into a release-on-demand nanoscale system for the biocide carvacrol. Characterization of both silane linker and hybrid silica NPs, including quantification of the bioactive compound in the bulk and on the NP surface, is accomplished by spectroscopic methods, including X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), ζ-potential measurements, as well as electron microscopy. Preliminary biological testing with E. coli proves an antibacterial effect. The carbamoylation reaction employed to synthesize the hybrid silica precursor might be readily applied to other bioactive phenolic compounds.

Graphical abstract: Hybrid-silica nanoparticles as a delivery system of the natural biocide carvacrol

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Jul 2018
Accepted
21 Oct 2018
First published
30 Oct 2018
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2018,8, 36712-36721

Hybrid-silica nanoparticles as a delivery system of the natural biocide carvacrol

C. G. Sokolik and J. Lellouche, RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 36712 DOI: 10.1039/C8RA05898A

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