Alternative Biodefensive based on the Essential Oil from Allium sativum Encapsulated in PCL/Gelatin Nanoparticles

Abstract

The goal of this paper was to develop a biodegradable system containing the essential oil from Allium sativum bulbs encapsulated in PCL/gelatin-based nanoparticles, as well as evaluate its efficiency to control Aedes aegypti Linn. larvae and Cerataphis lataniae Bois. aphids. The essential oil was analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS, and six compounds were identified, representing 93.1% of the total oil. The major compounds were diallyl trisulfide (51.8%), diallyl disulfide (23.2%) and allyl methyl trisulfide (13.6%). The PCL/gelatin-based nanoparticles containing this essential oil exhibited encapsulation efficiency higher than 94%, average particle diameter around 200 nm and zeta potential values about −36 mV. The essential oil presented no antioxidant nor enzymatic activities, so its effectiveness might be explained by the presence of sulfur compounds. The release kinetics of the encapsulated essential oil confirmed the release mechanism by the Fick's Law. About 50% of the encapsulated essential oil was released after 1 h, and about 90% was released after 50 h. This behavior is interesting from the technological point of view since the nanoparticles released as much oil as possible in a short period of time and then the lethal dosages were maintained along the time. Nanoparticles containing the encapsulated essential oil was submitted to in vitro bioassays against A. aegypti and C. lataniae and showed 100% of mortality against larvae and aphids up to 24 h. In conclusion, the essential oil from A. sativum presented effectiveness to be applied in sustainable management of pests in greenhouses, as well as for larvicidal control.