Niosomal Encapsulation of Artemisia herba-alba Essential Oil: Optimization and Characterization Using Box-Behnken Design

Abstract

   

This study focuses on the development and optimization of niosomal vesicles for the encapsulation of Artemisia herba-alba (white wormwood) essential oil, a plant native to arid and semi-arid regions of Algeria. A Box-Behnken experimental design was employed to investigate the effects of cholesterol concentration, Span 60 concentration, and sonication time on niosome size and encapsulation efficiency. The optimal formulation was achieved using 0.25 μL/mL of essential oil, 2.5 mg/mL of cholesterol, 5.8 mg/mL of Span 60, and a sonication time of 7 min, resulting in an experimental encapsulation efficiency of 90.67% with an average particle size of 880 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the physical nature of encapsulation through hydrogen bonding interactions without chemical modification of components. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a decrease in crystallinity of excipients, indicating successful integration of the essential oil into the niosomal bilayer. Stability studies demonstrated progressive physical instability with particle growth from 880 nm to 2780 nm over 90 days, while encapsulation efficiency remained above 83%. These findings establish niosomes as an effective vectorization system for A. herba-alba essential oil, enhancing its stability and offering promising applications in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical fields.