Preparation of extract-loaded nanocapsules from Onopordon leptolepis DC.

Sesquiterpenes have antifungal, antibacterial, and anesthetic properties. It is also thought that they prevent migraines and can be used as antibiotics and to treat malaria, but there are very few in-depth testing results available to support these claims. Nanocapsules coated by medicinal plants have many applications in drug manufacturing. Medicinal plants can be loaded on nanocapsules with the polyester triblock copolymer polyethylene glycol–polybutylene adipate–polyethylene glycol (PEG–PBA–PEG) as the shell and olive oil as the core by a process known as the polymer deposition solvent evaporation method. It has been shown that the size of nanocapsules depends on a variety of factors, such as the ratio of polymer to oil, concentration of polymers, and concentration of plant extract. In this research we attempted to prepare nanocapsules by emulsification of a mixture of onopordopicrin extracted from Onopordon leptolepis DC., polymer, acetone, and olive oil in aqueous phase without using surfactant. The nanocapsules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and zeta potential sizer.

► Nanocapsules medicinal plants have many applications in drug manufacturing.
► Nanocapsules medicinal plants were affected by ratio of polymer to oil, concentration of polymers, and plant extract.
► When the polymer/oil ratio was increased, the extract concentration was increased from 0.2 mg to 0.3 mg, the particle size decreased.
► With a decrease in polymer concentration in the organic phase, the size of nanocapsules will decrease.
► The best of our knowledge no report on nanocapsules from extract plant exists, leading us to the present study.