Preparation of soluble complex carriers from Aloe vera mucilage/gelatin for cinnamon essential oil: Characterization and antibacterial activity

The present study aimed to fabricate Aloe vera (AV) mucillage/gelatin (GE) complexes as a carrier for cinnamon essential oil (CEO). Encapsulation efficiency and retention of CEO were used as parameters of choosing the best sample (1 GE:2AV and 30% CEO). Instrumental analysis of CEO-loaded AV/GE carriers revealed that CEO was well encapsulated within wall biopolymers. Also, the thermal stability of encapsulated CEO was higher than pure CEO confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, nanocarriers (29–308.9 nm) with an aggregated smooth structure were obtained. Simulated release study showed a high release of CEO (68.15%) from carriers after immersion in acidic conditions of gastric fluid. Antibacterial activity was investigated by the microdilution method and the results revealed that the antibacterial activity of CEO was escalated after encapsulation. The findings of this study pointed out that AV/GE complexes can be a promising carrier for the encapsulation of sensitive bioactive compounds.