LAUSR

Abstract The essential oil of Ocimum basilicum (common basil) is widely used in alternative medicine due its various therapeutic activities, however, it has limitations as to its stability. The nanoencapsulation of this oil aims to increase its stability and solubility, protecting against degradation processes and guaranteeing its therapeutic efficacy. In this study, nanoemulsions containing basil oil were developed with the objective of determining their stability and cytotoxicity in healthy human cells, in addition to evaluating their antioxidant and antimicrobial potential. The stability of the nanoemulsion containing basil oil was evaluated for 90 days, and the refrigeration condition (4 °C) was the one that best preserved the physicochemical characteristics of formulation. Both the free oil and the nanoemulsion presented low antioxidant activity, however, only the free oil caused a reduction in cell viability, whereas the nanoemulsion did not present cytotoxicity. The antimicrobial activity of the basil oil was potentiated after its nanoencapsulation against all evaluated microorganisms, being a stable, safe and effective antimicrobial alternative.