Laboratory study: Synthesis and optimization of nano nisomes containing Bunium persicum essential oil and investigating its toxicity on Trichomonas vaginalis parasite and HFF cell line

The use of nanotechnology can reduce the challenges facing the use of herbal compounds in the fight against infectious agents. The aim of the present research is to produce nano niosomes containing <i>Bunium persicum</i> essential oil with high efficiency in the temperature and acidity of the living environment of <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> parasite and to investigate its toxicity on this parasite. First, Essential oil compounds were identified using GC-Mass. Then six niosomal formulations were made using Tween 40, 60, and 80 and cholesterol by thin film method. Three formulations that have more suitable particle size, zeta potential, and essential oil release and encapsulation efficiency were selected by MTT method to investigate the toxicity on HFF (Human foreskin fibroblasts) cell line. The formulation with lower toxicity was optimized using DSPE-mPEG(2000) polymer. Encapsulation efficiency, particle size, zeta potential, release of essential oil (in temperature and acidity similar to <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> living environment), particle morphology and toxicity of optimal formulation (on HFF and <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i>) were investigated. At the end, the stability of the optimized nanoparticles was studied for 120 days. 12 chemical compounds including γ-Terpinene, Cuminic aldehyde and Para-cymene were identified <i>Bunium persicum</i> essential oil. The optimized formulation has a particle size of 159.73 nm, a zeta potential of -25.1 mV and an encapsulation efficiency of 63.11 %, which has a slow and continuous release at the similar temperature and acidity as <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i>. Niosomal nanoparticles have a spherical shape and a smooth surface and have little toxicity on the HFF cell line. Also, the toxicity of nano niosomes containing essential oil on <i>Trichomonas vaginalis</i> is higher than free essential oil in all concentrations. The optimized niosomal nanoparticles have good stability because their physicochemical properties have changed very little during 120 days. In conclusion optimized Niosomal formulation containing <i>Bunium persicum</i> essential oil compared to free essential oil can have a higher efficiency to deal with <i>Trichomonas</i> parasite in laboratory conditions.