Gels (Feb 2024)

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

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10030155
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 3
p. 155

Abstract

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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.

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