Bioactive Textiles Obtained by Applying Cinnamon Essential Oil-based Emulsions

In order to obtain biomaterials with potential use in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, this experimental study approached the immobilization on knitted fabric, made of 100% organic cotton, of oil-in-water emulsions type, based on xanthan-propolis-cinnamon essential oil, in certain formulations. For this purpose, seven experimental variants of emulsions were prepared and characterized, by specific methods, from physical-chemical and stability point of view. The functionalized textile materials were also characterized from morphological and antibacterial activity view point. The stability index, determined after 10 days, indicated that the emulsions are stable, without showing the presence of one of the flocculation, creaming / sedimentation, coalescence or Ostwald ripening phenomena. The lowest value of the turbidity was obtained for the experimental variant containing the lowest amount of essential oil and propolis. For the same variant, the highest value of viscosity was obtained, in which 0,363 mL water /mL emulsion and 0,5 mL xanthan/mL emulsion volume fraction was used. The textile materials treated with the synthesized emulsions based on xanthan-propolis-cinnamon essential oil shows antibacterial effect against S. aureus and E. coli test strains.