Biodistribution of essential oil-conjugated silver nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT

The beneficial synergy between antimicrobial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and essential oils (EOs), with therapeutic effects that have been acknowledged and explored for a long time, opens the way towards developing new and promising alternatives for anti-infective therapies. With the aim to improve the cytocompatibility and stability of AgNPs and to overcome the volatilization of EOs, AgNPs conjugated with sage (Salvia officinalis) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum aromaticum) EOs were obtained in our study. The synthesis process was realized either by classical or ultrasound-assisted chemical reduction. Compositional and microstructural characterization of the as-obtained Ag@EO NPs was performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The biodistribution of Ag@EO NPs was evaluated on a mouse animal model.