Evaluation of the anti-oxidant and antiangiogenic activities of nanoemulsion prepared from Boswellia carteri essential oil

Boswellia essential oil possesses bioactive compounds with therapeutic properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-oxidant and antiangiogenic activities of nanoemulsion prepared from Boswellia essential oil.

In this study, an oil-in-water nanoemulsion was prepared using the ultrasonic method and Boswellia essential oil (the oil phase) and Tween 80 surfactant, and water (the aqueous phase). Droplet size, dispersion index, and zeta potential of the prepared nanoemulsion were evaluated, and the ability of the nanoemulsion to inhibit DPPH free radicals was measured. Also, the angiogenic activity of the nanoemulsion was investigated using the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model.

The formulated nanoemulsion revealed particles with a spherical shape, average size of 58.29 nm, a dispersion index of 0.29, and a zeta potential of -28.87. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of the nanoemulsion shown that  the particles were almost uniformly spherical. The anti-oxidant activity of Boswellia essential oil, enclosed in O/W emulsion, was confirmed via the DPPH free radical inhibition assay with an IC50 of 61.92 μg/mL. In addition, the nanoemulsion was shown to inhibit the growth of new vessels in the CAM model, indicating anti-angiogenic effects.

Our findings suggest that due to anti-oxidant and anti-angiogenic effects, nanoemulsion loaded with Boswellia essential oil can be used as a therapeutic agent.