Nanoemulsion Loaded with Volatile Oil from Piper alatipetiolatum as an Alternative Agent in the Control of Aedes aegypti

Diseases transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, Culicidae, are a serious public health problem worldwide, especially because of the increasing resistance to synthetic insecticides. Volatile oils are botanicals with interesting multi-target properties, but with reduced applications due to its volatility and water solubility. For this reason, nanoemulsions containing volatile oils are an important alternative for the mosquito control. The volatile oil of leaves Piper alatipetiolatum Yunck., Piperaceae, was characterized mostly by sesquiterpenes, such as ishwarone (78.6%), ishwarol B (8.2%), β-elemene (6.9%), selin-11-en-4α-ol (2.9%), and ishwarane (2.4%). The volatile oil showed lower ovicidal activity (19 to 100%), larvicidal activity (LC50 33.74 ppm), and pupicidal activity (LC50 65.06 ppm) as compared with its nanoemulsion that presented higher ovicidal activity (47.7 to 100%), larvicidal activity (LC50 6.37 ppm), and pupicidal activity (LC50 9.33 ppm) against Ae. aegypti. The volatile oil nanoemulsion was characterized with approximately spherical morphology, with an average size of 316 ± 8 nm, PDI of 0.44 ± 0.01, zeta potential of − 8.5 ± 0.1 mV, and pH of 5.3 ± 0.1. These results indicated that the nanoemulsion containing the encapsulated volatile oil was effective to interrupt the development of immature forms of Ae. aegypti and represents an efficient alternative tool to control this vector, contributing to vector control of dengue and other related diseases. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]. © 2020, Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia.