CHARACTERIZATION, CHEMICAL PROFILE, AND ANTIDIABETIC POTENTIAL OF PIMENTA DIOICA NANOEMULSION

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the chemical profile of Pimenta dioica essential oil and evaluate the in vitro antidiabetic potential of its nanoemulsion, comparing its activity with that of eugenol, its major constituent. Methods: The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. The nanoemulsion was prepared by the phase inversion method and tested for inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes using in vitro colorimetric assays. Results: GC-MS analysis revealed a chemical profile with a predominance of eugenol (78.96%), followed by chavicol (8.78%), myrcene (3.52%), limonene (2.16%), linalool (1.15%), terpineol (1.24%), and octenol (1.57%). The essential oil nanoemulsion exhibited superior inhibitory activity against both enzymes compared to isolated eugenol, with IC₅₀ values of 1.15 mg/L for α-amylase and 2.14 mg/L for α-glucosidase, whereas eugenol showed IC₅₀ values of 3.36 mg/L and 2.96 mg/L, respectively. The nanoemulsion was approximately 2.9-fold more potent in inhibiting α-amylase and 1.4-fold more potent against α-glucosidase. Conclusion: The nanoemulsion of P. dioica essential oil demonstrated significant antidiabetic potential, with inhibitory activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase superior to that of isolated eugenol, positioning it as a promising candidate for the development of novel phytotherapeutics for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. These findings open perspectives for further in vivo efficacy studies, safety assessments, and formulation optimization.