Investigating the Wound-Healing Potential of a Nanoemulsion–Gel Formulation of <i>Pituranthos tortuosus</i> Essential Oil
Badr Bahloul,
Enis Ben Bnina,
Assia Hamdi,
Luis Castillo Henríquez,
Dhaou Baccar,
Nesrine Kalboussi,
Aïmen Abbassi,
Nathalie Mignet,
Guido Flamini,
José Roberto Vega-Baudrit
Affiliations
Badr Bahloul
Drug Development Laboratory LR12ES09, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Enis Ben Bnina
LR21AGR03-Production and Protection for a Sustainable Horticulture (2PHD), Regional Research Centre on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, IRESA, University of Sousse, Chott Mariem 4042, Tunisia
Assia Hamdi
Drug Development Laboratory LR12ES09, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Luis Castillo Henríquez
Chemical and Biological Technologies for Health Group (UTCBS), Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
Dhaou Baccar
Drug Development Laboratory LR12ES09, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Nesrine Kalboussi
Drug Development Laboratory LR12ES09, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Aïmen Abbassi
Research Unit “Natural Bioactive Substances and Biotechnology” UR17ES49, Pharmacognosy Laboratory, College of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir 5000, Tunisia
Nathalie Mignet
Chemical and Biological Technologies for Health Group (UTCBS), Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
Guido Flamini
Dipartimento di Farmacia, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
José Roberto Vega-Baudrit
National Nanotechnology Laboratory (LANOTEC), National Center for High Technology (CeNAT), San José 1174-1200, Costa Rica
This study explores a nanoemulsion (NE)-based gel incorporating Tunisian Pituranthos tortuosus essential oil, with a focus on its wound-healing potential. The essential oil, extracted via hydrodistillation, underwent GC-MS analysis for compositional verification. The physicochemical characterization included dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential measurement, pH, and viscosity. The gelification of the NE facilitated topical application. The results revealed an average extraction yield of 0.45% and identified 38 compounds in the essential oil. The NE exhibited a particle size of 27 ± 0.4 nm, a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.3, and a zeta potential of −22.8 ± 1.4 mV. The stability of the gelified preparation was confirmed through thermodynamic stability studies, TEM observations, and zeta and size results. In vivo experiments confirmed significant wound-healing effects, highlighting the promising role of the NE-based gel in healthcare advancements. This research underscores the potential of novel phyto-based delivery systems in wound care.
