Chitosan/cashew gum nanogels for essential oil encapsulation

► Lippia sidoides essential oil was successfully encapsulated in a cashew gum/chitosan polymeric matrix. ► Nanoparticle sizes ranged from 335 nm to 558 nm, mainly with unimodal distribution and positive potential zeta values. ► Oil presence in nanoparticles was corroborated by FTIR and bioassays. ► Nanoparticles were effective in killing larvae of dengue vector, in a sustained release fashion.