Multifunctional activity of Mentha piperita essential oil nanoemulsion against Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori is a Gram-negative bacterium implicated in chronic gastric infections and gastric cancer, making it an important target for therapeutic intervention. Increasing antibiotic resistance of this pathogen has reduced the efficacy of conventional therapies, emphasizing the urgent need for alternative natural treatments. Mentha piperita essential oil exhibits antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which are further enhanced when formulated as a nanoemulsion. Nanoemulsification improves solubility, stability, bioavailability, and bacterial targeting. Although essential oil-based nanoemulsions have shown antimicrobial potential, limited studies have systematically evaluated their effects on key virulence factors such as urease activity and biofilm formation in H. pylori. In this study, a Mentha piperita essential oil nanoemulsion stabilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate (MPNE-SDS) exhibited a mean particle size of 168 nm, a Polydispersity Index of 0.28, and maintained stability for up to three months. MPNE-SDS demonstrated potent antibacterial activity against H. pylori, with MIC values ranging from 6.25 to 50 µL/mL of nanoemulsion formulation, and showed enhanced efficacy compared to bulk essential oil. It also reduced whole-cell urease activity (IC₅₀ = 41.6 µL/mL) and inhibited biofilm formation (IC₅₀ = 24.5 µL/mL), while higher concentrations were required for biofilm eradication (EC₅₀ = 133 µL/mL). These findings indicate that MPNE-SDS enhances antibacterial performance and affects key H. pylori virulence-associated activities, suggesting its potential as a non-antibiotic approach and warranting further preclinical investigation.