Optimization of Emulsification Parameters for Chasteberry Essential Oil Aqueous Nanoemulsions

Chasteberry essential oil (CEO) is known as an efficient compound for women’s health. Yet, to make it more efficient, it should be preserved until use. One option for this purpose is to prepare its nanoemulsions. Here, feasibility of CEO nanoemulsion formulation development was reported without the need of co-surfactants and co-solvents employing a simple ultrasonication process, which was complemented by statistical evaluation. To that end, CEO NEs were prepared using an ultrasonic homogenizer using only water as the solvent and Tween80 (T80) as the emulsifier. Variations in the emulsification parameters such as emulsifier concentration (CEO/T80 ratio: 1/0, 1/1, 1/2, and 1/4) and ultrasonication time (0, 1, 5, 10, and 20 min) were tested. Turbidity measurements and morphology analyses were performed in addition to dynamic light scattering measurements. On the basis of statistical evaluation of droplet size and Zeta potential values, the best emulsification process parameters were revealed. The minimum droplet size (estimate: 37 nm) was achieved accompanying by a high Zeta potential value of -36 mV when employed an ultrasonication time of 10.55 min by using T1 (CEO/T80: 1/1). Morphology analyses delivered complementary results.