Nanotecnologia aplicada ao encapsulamento de óleos essenciais com potencial antimicrobiano

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.361112504046

• Palavras-chave: Resistência bacteriana; terapias antimicrobianas; óleos essenciais; nanotecnologia.

• Keywords: Bacterial resistance; antimicrobial therapies; essential oils; nanotechnology.

• Abstract: The rising bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics is one of the major challenges for infection control and poses a global health threat. This situation encourages the search for innovative and effective antimicrobial treatments as alternatives to standard antibiotics. Among the options explored, essential oils have gained attention because of their diverse pharmacological activities, including antimicrobial, antifungal, and larvicidal effects. However, their pharmaceutical and therapeutic use is limited by issues such as volatility, low solubility in water, environmental instability, and poor bioavailability. To overcome these limitations and more effectively utilize their properties, various nanotechnology-based systems have been used as carriers. Approaches such as polymeric nanocapsules, nanospheres, nanoemulsions, and liposomes provide benefits like protection, controlled release, improved stability, and enhanced pharmacological activity of essential oils. In this chapter, a comprehensive overview of these encapsulation nanosystems is presented, covering their structural features, advantages, limitations, and relevant examples from scientific literature.