Nanoemulsion-based mouthwash with Litsea cubeba essential oil and Piper betle extract for inflammatory dental condition

A nanoemulsion-based mouthwash incorporating Litsea cubeba essential oil and Piper betle extract was developed for inflammatory dental conditions. The optimized formulation, identified using pseudo-ternary phase diagrams, contained 0.9% essential oil and 1% dry extract, yielding droplet sizes of 22.36 nm, a near-neutral zeta potential (−0.50 mV), and a pH of 7.2. The formulation demonstrated physicochemical stability over a three-month period. Anti-inflammatory activity, evaluated through nitric oxide inhibition in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, surpassed that of 0.12% chlorhexidine. In antibacterial assays, the formulation achieved a 99.74% reduction of Streptococcus mutans in a time-kill test. Molecular docking analysis further supported the antimicrobial potential of citral and eugenol via interaction with Streptococcus mutans glucosyltransferase B. These findings suggest that the developed nanoemulsion-based mouthwash may offer a promising natural approach for managing oral inflammatory conditions.