Method for gelatinizing essential oil by utilizing flavonoid glycoside small-molecule active ingredients and application

Abstract

The invention provides a method for gelatinizing essential oil by utilizing flavonoid glycoside micromolecular active ingredients and application, flavonoid glycoside serves as a gelator and an active ingredient at the same time, and plant essential oil serves as a dispersion medium and an active ingredient. The anti-solvent dispersion method is used for inducing gelation of the essential oil, other gel materials do not need to be added, the preparation method is simple, convenient and efficient, mass production is easy, and the obtained essential oil gel has excellent antibacterial and antioxidant activity and has potential high application value in the wide fields of cosmetics, food, medicine and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the fields of medicine, food and cosmetics, and specifically to a method and application of gelling essential oils using flavonoid glycosides as small molecule active ingredients. Background Technology

[0002] Flavonoid glycosides are natural glycosides formed by the binding of flavonoid compounds (glycosidic acid groups) to glucose, rhamnose, and other sugar groups via glycosidic bonds. Widely distributed in the plant kingdom, they are important products of plant secondary metabolism. The bioactivity of these substances depends on the synergistic effect of the flavonoid nucleus and sugar groups, exhibiting multi-target and multi-effect characteristics. Currently, their research is particularly focused on their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular protective properties. They also play a role in protecting the heart, alleviating respiratory inflammation, promoting digestion, and enhancing the body's immune function. Due to their diverse bioactivities, the role of flavonoid glycosides as small-molecule active ingredients is increasingly prominent in the biomedical and health fields, showing broad application prospects in medicine, food, cosmetics, agriculture, and animal husbandry.

[0003] Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds extracted from plants. They are widely available, primarily from plants in the Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Rutaceae, and Lauraceae families. Common methods for extracting essential oils include steam distillation, pressing, cold maceration, and supercritical fluid extraction; these techniques are well-established.

[0004] Essential oils are highly volatile and easily diffuse in the air. Most essential oils are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidone and ethanol. Furthermore, essential oils are highly irritating and easily oxidized. In particular, essential oils are composed of a variety of natural components, exhibiting significant differences in physical and chemical properties compared to common organic solvents. Therefore, in the formulation process, no beneficial technological inspiration can be found from existing technologies for other organic solvents or pharmaceutical solutions. Consequently, the formulation processing of essential oils has always been relatively underdeveloped, typically utilizing only the raw liquid form of the essential oil.

[0005] Essential oils possess a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, with diverse applications: in aromatherapy, they can relieve stress and improve mood; in skincare products, their moisturizing and anti-aging properties are widely used; essential oils are also key ingredients in perfumes and food flavorings, adding unique aromas and flavors; furthermore, in agriculture, essential oils serve as natural biological pesticides, helping to reduce the use of chemical pesticides. Simultaneously, essential oils also have air-purifying functions, bringing a fresh scent to the environment. Market research shows that the essential oil industry in China is growing rapidly, with a market size exceeding 10 billion RMB by 2023. The multifunctionality and wide application potential of essential oils indicate a promising future in the fields of health, beauty, and agriculture.

[0006] Oil gels are formed by encapsulating oil droplets within a cross-linked polymer network and are commonly used in the food industry as food additives to improve the texture of food. Oil gels have a relatively simple composition, consisting of an oil phase and gelling agents. The oil phase is mainly composed of edible vegetable oils, such as sunflower seed oil, camellia oil, and soybean oil. The gelling agents are mainly monoglycerides, natural waxes, pentacyclic triterpenoids, polysaccharides, and proteins. Currently, there are relatively few types of gelling agents available, and they have limitations; for example, applying natural wax oil gels topically can leave a wax shell residue.

[0007] Essential oils have wide applications in various fields due to their unique aroma and bioactivity, but their volatility and instability limit their use. Gelation is an effective means to improve the stability of essential oils. However, given the significant differences between essential oils and oils in terms of composition and physicochemical properties, existing oil gelling agents cannot be directly applied to gel essential oils, and there is an urgent need to discover novel natural product gelling agents that can directly gel essential oils.

[0008] The prior art "Transparent Essential Oil Gel and its Preparation Method" (Ni Yingying et al., CN108113904A) discloses a transparent essential oil gel and its preparation method, with raw materials comprising 5-20% essential oil, 5-80% oil, 0.5-5% emulsifier, 1-30% polyol, and 3% water. The prior art "A Chitosan Thyme Essential Oil Gel and its Preparation Method" (Sui Xiaofeng et al., CN111053942A) discloses a chitosan thyme essential oil gel and its preparation method, which uses chitosan suspension and / or chitosan compound suspension and thyme essential oil to prepare a Pickering emulsion, followed by freeze-drying to form an oil gel. The prior art "An Essential Oil Gel and its Preparation Method" (Liu Yingyan et al., CN108034501A) discloses an essential oil gel and its preparation method, composed of tea tree essential oil, water, and a thickener; the gel exhibits good inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The above-mentioned process for preparing essential oil gels is cumbersome, requires a large number of excipients, and uses essential oils as active ingredients, without demonstrating that essential oils can be gelled.

[0009] Unlike the aforementioned techniques, we unexpectedly discovered that small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides, due to their excellent biocompatibility and multifunctionality, are an ideal choice for achieving essential oil gelation. This invention was completed through screening small-molecule natural products of gelatable essential oils. The small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides described in this invention serve as gelling agents and active substances, with an essential oil-based system acting as a dispersion medium, penetration enhancer, and / or active ingredient. The process is simple and efficient, and the resulting gel exhibits stable properties and good antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Summary of the Invention

[0010] To overcome the technical shortcomings of existing technologies that require a large amount of gelling excipients to gel essential oils, the present invention aims to provide a method and application for gelling essential oils using small-molecule active ingredients such as flavonoid glycosides. In this essential oil gel, the small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides act as both a gelling agent and an active ingredient, reducing the use of excipients such as gel matrices and simultaneously enhancing the bioavailability of both the small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides and the essential oil. The present invention also relates to the application of this gel in the fields of cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals.

[0011] In the process of screening small-molecule natural products for gellifiable essential oils, the inventors of this application discovered that some small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides, after being fully dissolved in a small amount of organic reagent, are then uniformly dispersed in the essential oil. As the solubility decreases, they precipitate out, forming a gel. Non-limitingly, the inventors believe this is related to the complex linkages formed between the aromatic groups and ester groups in the essential oil components and the aromatic groups and phenolic hydroxyl groups in the small-molecule active flavonoid glycoside components through hydrogen bonds and other interactions.

[0012] Specifically, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: The first objective of this invention is to provide an essential oil gel based on small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides. The inventors unexpectedly discovered that some small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides can successfully gel essential oils without the assistance of other gelling agents, thus achieving the first objective of this invention.

[0013] Specifically, this invention provides an essential oil gel based on small molecule active flavonoid glycosides, characterized in that: it is composed of small molecule active flavonoid glycoside components and an essential oil-based system, without the need to add other gelling agents. The small molecule active flavonoid glycoside components serve as both active ingredients and gelling agents. The preparation method is an antisolvent dispersion method, in which the small molecule active flavonoid glycoside components are fully dissolved in an organic reagent and then uniformly dispersed in an essential oil or a mixture of essential oil and oil. The solubility of the small molecule active flavonoid glycoside components in the solvent system decreases, causing them to precipitate and form a gel.

[0014] More specifically, the inventors discovered through extensive experiments that when the small molecule active flavonoid glycoside component is one or more of arbutin, vitexin, isoquercitrin, icariin, baicalin, and arbutin, gelation of essential oils can be achieved. Preferably, the small molecule active flavonoid glycoside component is arbutin.

[0015] Furthermore, the content of the small molecule active flavonoid glycosides in the essential oil gel affects the formation of the essential oil gel. When the content of the small molecule active flavonoid glycosides is low, a stable gel state cannot be formed. Preferably, the content of the small molecule active flavonoid glycosides is greater than or equal to 0.3% by weight of the gel, at which point a stable gel can be obtained.

[0016] More preferably, the content of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides is greater than or equal to 4% by weight of the gel, and the resulting gel has excellent properties.

[0017] The system, primarily composed of essential oils, consists of: 1) an organic solvent; and 2) essential oils, or a mixture of essential oils and oils. The organic solvent effectively dissolves small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides, thus acting as a good solvent, while the essential oil or a mixture of essential oils and oils acts as a poor solvent.

[0018] In the essential oil or the mixed solvent system of essential oil and oil, the essential oil is one or more of the following: Asian peppermint oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, clove leaf oil, tea tree essential oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet orange essential oil, angelica essential oil, bupleurum essential oil, cyperus essential oil, oregano essential oil, and the oil is one or more of the following: olive oil, jojoba oil, fish oil, liquid paraffin, and the proportion of the oil in the mixed essential oil solvent system is less than 80% w / w.

[0019] Preferably, the essential oil is clove leaf oil or peppermint oil.

[0020] In the mixture of essential oil and organic solvent, the organic solvent is one or more of N-methylpyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N,N-diethylacetamide, and its proportion in the gel does not exceed 12% w / w.

[0021] Preferably, the good solvent is one or more of the following solvents: N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N,N-diethylacetyl.

[0022] More preferably, the good solvent is N-methylpyrrolidone.

[0023] Preferably, the weight ratio of the good solvent to the poor solvent is 1:331 to 1:7.7.

[0024] Preferably, one or more auxiliary means such as ultrasound, high-speed shearing, vortexing, stirring, etc. are used to mix the good solvent and the bad solvent evenly.

[0025] More preferably, ultrasound is used as an auxiliary method.

[0026] A small molecule active flavonoid glycoside essential oil gel that does not flow when inverted in a container, or whose storage modulus (G') is greater than its loss modulus (G'') in rheological testing.

[0027] The second objective of this invention is to provide a method for preparing essential oil gels based on small molecule active flavonoid glycosides: The inventors optimized the process conditions for preparing essential oil gels based on small molecule active flavonoid glycosides through a large number of experiments. These conditions include, but are not limited to, the selection of specific types and amounts of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides, the selection of specific types and amounts of essential oils, the selection of the solvent system, ratio, and amount of essential oil and oil mixture, and the selection of the type and amount of organic solvents used as good solvents.

[0028] Understandably, the specific types and amounts of small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides can significantly influence the formation and properties of essential oil gels. Different active small-molecule flavonoid glycosides possess different properties. This invention, through extensive experimental screening, has identified several small-molecule active flavonoid glycoside components with gelling agent functions. Specifically, these can be arbutin, vitexin, isoquercitrin, icariin, and baicalin. In specific application scenarios, these small-molecule active flavonoid glycoside components can be used individually or in combination. Since they function as gelling agents whether used alone or in combination, they generally do not affect the formation of essential oil gels.

[0029] Although small molecule active flavonoid glycosides have gelling agent properties, they obviously cannot effectively cross-link or interact when the amount is insufficient, and usually cannot make the essential oil form an effective gel. Therefore, it is necessary to properly control the amount of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides. Through experiments, the inventors found that the content of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides is greater than or equal to 0.3% by weight of gel, at which point a gel can be obtained.

[0030] On the other hand, the specific type and amount of essential oils used usually have a certain impact on the formation and gel properties of essential oil gels. Experiments show that Asian peppermint oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, clove leaf oil, tea tree essential oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet orange essential oil, angelica essential oil, bupleurum essential oil, cyperus essential oil, and oregano essential oil can all effectively form gel essential oils under the action of the small molecule active flavonoid glycosides described in this invention. Of course, there are certain differences in the effectiveness of forming essential oil gels among the different types of essential oils mentioned above. Appropriate oils can also be added to the above essential oils to reduce the concentration of essential oils, thereby providing different application scenarios. The oils can be one or more of olive oil, jojoba oil, fish oil, and liquid paraffin. Experiments have shown that the proportion of the oils in the mixed essential oil solvent system should be less than 80% w / w; otherwise, due to a severe lack of essential oils, they will not be able to interact with the small molecule active flavonoid glycoside components to form a gel. In other words, the proportion of oils used is also one of the process parameters that need to be considered in the preparation method.

[0031] The role of organic solvents as good solvents is to first dissolve and disperse the small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides, thus providing the necessary conditions for sufficient dispersion and contact with the essential oil at the molecular level. Since the good solvent will ultimately dissolve in the essential oil, it also affects the properties, concentration, and composition of the gel product to some extent; therefore, its type and amount must be carefully considered. Experimental verification shows that the good solvent can be N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide, or N,N-diethylacetyl. N-methylpyrrolidone is preferred. Its proportion in the gel should generally not exceed 12% w / w. More preferably, the weight ratio of the good solvent to the poor solvent is 1:331-1:7.7.

[0032] A third objective of this invention is to provide the use of the essential oil gel in the preparation of products, characterized in that the products have skin moisturizing, whitening, food preservation, antibacterial and / or anti-inflammatory effects.

[0033] The method for preparing small molecule active flavonoid glycoside essential oil gel provided by this invention is simple, inexpensive, and has good reproducibility. Since other gelling agents are no longer used, the formulation cost is effectively reduced, and the problems of biocompatibility and toxicity that may be caused by other complex components such as gelling agents are also reduced.

[0034] Since both small-molecule active flavonoids and essential oils possess a wide range of functionalities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, using small-molecule active flavonoids to gel essential oils can enhance their stability. In turn, essential oils can promote the transdermal absorption or improve the sensory properties of small-molecule active flavonoids, such as their aroma. The combination of the two can significantly exert a synergistic effect.

[0035] Based on the specific types of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides, essential oils, and organic solvents, the inventors have provided optimized and feasible solutions through numerous experiments.

[0036] In summary, the inventors have made an unexpected discovery through research that, by using an appropriate preparation method, small molecule active flavonoid glycoside essential oil gels can be prepared without the addition of other gelling agents, forming a gel formulation on its own. The gel preparation process does not require any excipients or special equipment, saving costs and facilitating large-scale production. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 The images show the appearance of Examples 1-6 (AF) and Comparative Examples 1-5 (ae).

[0038] Figure 2 , Figure 3 Examples and comparative figures of the screening experiment for the optimal amount of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides and the optimal amount of essential oil to form a gel.

[0039] Figure 4 Examples and comparative images of essential oil type screening experiments.

[0040] Figure 5 Examples and comparative figures of the screening experiments for the types and amounts of organic reagents are shown.

[0041] Figure 6 Appearance diagrams of an example and a comparative example of a screening experiment for the addition ratio of oils.

[0042] Figure 7 Infrared images of arbutin clove leaf oil gel (a), clove leaf oil (b), and arbutin (c) from Example 1.

[0043] Figure 8 The rheological results are for different concentrations of arbutin clove leaf oil gel in Comparative Example 15 (0.2%) and Example 1 (4%).

[0044] Figure 9 The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of clove leaf oil and arbutin against different bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) were determined by the two-fold dilution method in Example 1.

[0045] Figure 10 The parameters for the scavenging effects of arbutin and clove leaf oil on DPPH and ABTS free radicals and the determination of iron ion reducing antioxidant capacity (FRAP method) in Example 1 and with the same dosage are as follows.

[0046] The technical solutions obtained in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0047] Experiment 1: Screening Experiment for Gelable Small Molecule Active Flavonoid Glycosides

[0048] Example 1: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 16 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide. The solution was then thoroughly mixed with 368 mg of clove leaf oil (dimethyl sulfoxide: clove leaf oil = 1:23, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see attached). Figure 1 -A).

[0049] Example 2: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -B).

[0050] Example 3: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -C).

[0051] Example 4: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -D).

[0052] Example 5: 1.6 mg (0.4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 4 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 394.4 mg of peppermint oil (dimethyl sulfoxide: peppermint oil = 1:98.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -E).

[0053] Example 6: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (dimethyl sulfoxide: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -F).

[0054] Comparative Example 1: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -a).

[0055] Comparative Example 2: 16 mg (4%) of hesperidin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -b).

[0056] Comparative Example 3: 16 mg (4%) of daidzein was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -c).

[0057] Comparative Example 4: 16 mg (4%) of epicatechin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture did not form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -d).

[0058] Comparative Example 5: 16 mg (4%) of glycyrrhizin was dissolved completely in 32 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 352 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:11, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -e).

[0059] Comparative Example 6: 16 mg (4%) of aloe vera extract was dissolved completely in 32 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 352 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:11, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 1 -f).

[0060] The above results indicate that some small-molecule active flavonoids (arbutin, vitexin, isoquercitrin, icariin, baicalin, and scutellarin) can gel essential oils, while other small-molecule active flavonoids (such as baicalin), isoflavones (such as daidzein), polymethoxylated flavonoids (such as hesperidin), anthraquinones (such as aloe-emodin), and similar components cannot gel essential oils. (See [link to relevant documentation]). Figure 1In other words, small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides such as arbutin, vitexin, isorhizin, icariin, baicalin, and scutellarin can act as active ingredients and gelling factors to enable essential oils to form gels, while other small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides or similar components such as small-molecule active flavonoid aglycones, polyphenols, and anthraquinones cannot enable essential oils to form gels.

[0061] Experiment 2: Optimal Method for Essential Oil Gel Formation

[0062] 1. Screening experiment on the dosage of small molecule active flavonoid glycosides in gels

[0063] Example 7: 1.2 mg (0.3%) of arbutin was added to 3 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 395.8 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:131.9, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 2-1 ).

[0064] Example 8: 4 mg (1%) of arbutin was added to 8 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 388 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:48.5 w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 2-2 ).

[0065] Example 9: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 2-3 ).

[0066] Example 10: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 36 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 348 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:9.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 3-1 ).

[0067] Example 11: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 36 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 348 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:9.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 3-2 ).

[0068] Comparative Example 7: 0.8 mg (0.2%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 1.6 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 397.6 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:248.5, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 2-4 ).

[0069] The above results indicate that small-molecule active flavonoid glycosides cannot form a gel when their content is below 0.3%; they can form a gel at a content of 0.3%; and with increasing content, when the content is greater than or equal to 4%, the resulting gel exhibits better performance than essential oil gels with a content of 1% or 0.3%. See Figure 2 , Figure 3 .

[0070] 2. Screening experiment for essential oil types

[0071] Example 12: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 32 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then mixed thoroughly with 352 mg of clove oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove oil = 1:11, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 ).

[0072] Example 13: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 32 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 352 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:11, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 ).

[0073] Example 14: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 ).

[0074] Example 15: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 ).

[0075] Example 16: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-5 ).

[0076] Example 17: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of oregano essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: oregano essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-6 ).

[0077] Example 18: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of Angelica sinensis essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: Angelica sinensis essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-7 ).

[0078] Example 19: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-8 ).

[0079] Example 20: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of spearmint essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: spearmint essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-9 ).

[0080] Example 21: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-10 ).

[0081] Example 22: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 1).

[0082] Example 23: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 32 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide; the above solution was then mixed thoroughly with 352 mg of oregano essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: oregano essential oil = 1:11, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 2).

[0083] Example 24: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 3).

[0084] Example 25: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 4).

[0085] Example 26: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N,N-dimethylformamide; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 5).

[0086] Example 27: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 6).

[0087] Example 28: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 7).

[0088] Example 29: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of lavender essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:lavender essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 8).

[0089] Example 30: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of Angelica sinensis essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: Angelica sinensis essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-1 9).

[0090] Example 31: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of oregano essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: oregano essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 0).

[0091] Example 32: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 1).

[0092] Example 33: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 2).

[0093] Example 34: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 3).

[0094] Example 35: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 4).

[0095] Example 36: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 5).

[0096] Example 37: 8 mg (2%) of baicalin was added to 20 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 372 mg of Angelica sinensis essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: Angelica sinensis essential oil = 1:18.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 6).

[0097] Example 38: 8 mg (2%) of baicalin was added to 20 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 372 mg of Cyperus rotundus essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:Cyperus rotundus essential oil = 1:18.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 7).

[0098] Example 39: 8 mg (2%) of baicalin was added to 20 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 372 mg of eucalyptus oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:eucalyptus oil = 1:18.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 8).

[0099] Example 40: 8 mg (2%) of baicalin was dissolved in 20 mg of N,N-dimethylformamide. The solution was then thoroughly mixed with 372 mg of sweet orange essential oil (N,N-dimethylformamide:sweet orange essential oil = 1:18.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-2 9).

[0100] Example 41: 8 mg (2%) of baicalin was added to 20 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 372 mg of Bupleurum chinense essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:Bupleurum chinense essential oil = 1:18.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 0).

[0101] Example 42: 4 mg (1%) of baicalin was dissolved completely in 10 mg of N,N-diethylacetamide; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 386 mg of lavender oil (N,N-diethylacetamide:lavender oil = 1:38.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 1).

[0102] Example 43: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 2).

[0103] Example 44: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 3).

[0104] Example 45: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 4).

[0105] Example 46: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 5).

[0106] Example 47: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 6).

[0107] Example 48: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of oregano essential oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: oregano essential oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 7).

[0108] Example 49: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 8).

[0109] Example 50: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-3 9).

[0110] Example 51: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:peppermint oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 0).

[0111] Example 52: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of clove leaf oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: clove leaf oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 1).

[0112] Example 53: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of tea tree oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:tea tree oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 2).

[0113] Comparative Example 8: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then mixed thoroughly with 344 mg of cinnamon oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: cinnamon oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 3).

[0114] Comparative Example 9: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of patchouli oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: patchouli oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 4).

[0115] Comparative Example 10: 16 mg (4%) of icariin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of cinnamon oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: cinnamon oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 5).

[0116] Comparative Example 11: 16 mg (4%) of baicalin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of cinnamon oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: cinnamon oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 6).

[0117] Comparative Example 12: 16 mg (4%) of vitexin was dissolved in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The solution was then mixed with 344 mg of patchouli oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: patchouli oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 7).

[0118] Comparative Example 13: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of patchouli oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:patchouli oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 8).

[0119] Comparative Example 14: 16 mg (4%) of isoquercitrin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of cinnamon oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: cinnamon oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 4-4 9).

[0120] The above results indicate that when the essential oils are Asian peppermint oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, clove leaf oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet orange oil, angelica oil, bupleurum oil, cyperus oil, and oregano oil, they can effectively form essential oil gels; while other essential oils, such as cinnamon oil and patchouli oil, cannot form essential oil gels. See Figure 4 .

[0121] 3. Organic solvent screening experiment

[0122] Example 54: 1.2 mg (0.3%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 1.2 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide. The solution was then thoroughly mixed with 397.6 mg of clove leaf oil (dimethyl sulfoxide: clove leaf oil = 1:331, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 5-1 ).

[0123] Example 55: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 44 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 340 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:7.7, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) to obtain the essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 5-2 ).

[0124] Comparative Example 15: 0.8 mg (0.2%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 0.8 mg of dimethyl sulfoxide. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 398.4 mg of clove leaf oil (dimethyl sulfoxide: clove leaf oil = 1:498, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 5-3 ).

[0125] Comparative Example 16: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 48 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 336 mg of peppermint oil (N-methylpyrrolidone: peppermint oil = 1:7, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 5-4 ).

[0126] Through the above embodiments, and in conjunction with Examples 27, 40, and 42, the results show that gel-forming essential oils can be effectively formed when N-methylpyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N,N-diethylacetamide are used as organic solvents. Furthermore, gel-forming essential oils are successfully achieved when the weight ratio of the organic solvent to the essential oil is in the range of 1:331 to 1:7.7; outside this range, gel formation is unsuccessful, meaning the maximum amount of organic solvent used should be less than 12%. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 5 .

[0127] 4. Oil ratio screening experiment

[0128] Example 56: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of a mixture of essential oils (clove leaf oil: olive oil = 7:3, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixture of essential oils = 1:8.6) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-1 ).

[0129] Example 57: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of a mixture of essential oils (clove leaf oil: jojoba oil = 5:5, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:8.6) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-2 ).

[0130] Example 58: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of a mixed essential oil (clove leaf oil: fish oil = 3:7, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:8.6) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-3 ).

[0131] Example 59: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 30 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 354 mg of a mixed essential oil (clove leaf oil: Asian peppermint oil = 4:6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:11.8) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-4 ).

[0132] Example 60: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was dissolved completely in 30 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 354 mg of a mixed essential oil (peppermint oil: eucalyptus oil = 7:3, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:11.8) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-5 ).

[0133] Example 61: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was added to 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone and dissolved completely. The above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of a mixed essential oil (clove leaf oil: liquid paraffin = 4:6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:8.6) to obtain an essential oil gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-6 ).

[0134] Comparative Example 17: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of a mixed essential oil (clove leaf oil: fish oil = 2:8, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min) (N-methylpyrrolidone: mixed essential oil = 1:8.6). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-7 ).

[0135] Comparative Example 18: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then mixed thoroughly with 344 mg of jojoba oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:jojoba oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-8 ).

[0136] Comparative Example 19: 16 mg (4%) of arbutin was weighed and dissolved completely in 40 mg of N-methylpyrrolidone; the above solution was then thoroughly mixed with 344 mg of fish oil (N-methylpyrrolidone:fish oil = 1:8.6, w / w) under ultrasonic conditions (40 W, 1 min). The resulting mixture failed to form a gel (see Appendix). Figure 6-9 ).

[0137] The above results indicate that when the oils are olive oil, jojoba oil, fish oil, or liquid paraffin, they can be effectively mixed with essential oils to form essential oil gels with small-molecule active flavonoids. Experiments show that the above oils alone cannot serve as a gel matrix, i.e., they cannot form essential oil gels with small-molecule active flavonoids. Furthermore, the proportion of oil in the mixed essential oil solvent system should be less than 80% w / w; for example, in the comparative example, when clove leaf oil:fish oil = 2:8, an essential oil gel could not be formed. Additionally, Examples 59-60 show that mixtures of two or more of the essential oils can also be used as essential oils and successfully form gels.

[0138] Example 62: Infrared images of arbutin, clove leaf oil, and arbutin-clove leaf oil gel The above-mentioned arbutin-clove leaf oil gel and its raw material arbutin from Example 1 were mixed with an appropriate amount of KBr, ground evenly, and compressed into tablets. Clove leaf oil was evenly coated on the KBr after grinding and compression. The light content of the tablets was measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy instrument in the range of 4000~4000 cm⁻¹. -1 Infrared absorption within the range, results are shown in [reference needed]. Figure 8 . Figure 8 The results showed that, compared with the raw drug, the gel exhibited better performance at 3392, 2935, 1661, and 1031 cm⁻¹. -1 The presence of characteristic peaks at locations such as [insert locations here] indicates that arbutin and clove leaf oil may have potential intermolecular interactions.

[0139] Example 63: Characterization of the properties of arbutin clove leaf oil gel Arbutin clove leaf oil gel (0.2%) obtained in Comparative Example 15 and arbutin clove leaf oil gel (4%) obtained in Example 1 were added to a rheometer for testing. The strength of Example 1 (4%) was higher than that of Comparative Example 15 (0.2%). The results are shown in […]. Figure 8 .

[0140] Example 64: Antibacterial effect of Example 1 The effects of the gel (200 mg / mL) and clove leaf oil (175 mg / mL) and arbutin (8 mg / mL) at the same concentration (0.3 × 10⁻⁶) in Example 1 were studied using the two-fold dilution method. 8The antibacterial activity of the gel against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFU / mL) was investigated, and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were recorded. The results showed that the MIC and MBC of the gel against these bacteria were lower than those of clove leaf oil and arbutin, indicating that the gel had a more significant inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus (SA), MRSA, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) compared to the active pharmaceutical ingredients. (See attached figures). Figure 9 .

[0141] Example 65: Antioxidant effect of Example 1 In Example 1, the scavenging effects of the gel (0.2 mg / mL) and the same doses of clove leaf oil and arbutin on DPPH and ABTS free radicals, as well as the reducing power of iron atoms (FRAP method), were studied. The scavenging rates of the gel, clove leaf oil, and arbutin on DPPH free radicals were 90.59±1.23%, 89.00±2.29%, and 50.24±1.50%, respectively. For ABTS free radical scavenging, the gel, clove leaf oil, and arbutin were equivalent to 292.33±22.95 mg / g, 243.61±7.53 mg / g, and 243.61±7.53 mg / mL, respectively. In the reduction of iron atoms by ascorbic acid at g / g and 227.18±17.60 mg / g (FRAP method), the antioxidant capacity of gel, clove leaf oil, and arbutin was expressed as the mmol / L of FeSO4 required to achieve the same absorbance. The values ​​for gel, clove leaf oil, and arbutin were 0.096±0.003 mmol / L, 0.083±0.002 mmol / L, and 0.00027±0.0002 mmol / L, respectively. These results indicate that the arbutin-clove leaf oil gel has better antioxidant activity compared to the active pharmaceutical ingredient. (See attached figures.) Figure 10 .

Claims

1. An essential oil gel based on small molecule active flavonoid glycoside ingredients, characterized by: The small-molecule active flavonoid component, essential oil and organic solvent are used to form the gel. ​ The small-molecule active flavonoid component is one or more of arbutin, vitexin, isoquercitrin, icariin, wogonoside and baicalin, which is used as the active component and the gel factor in the gel, and no other gel factor is needed, and the content of the small-molecule active flavonoid component is not less than 0.3% w / w. The essential oil is one or more of Asian mint oil, peppermint oil, green mint oil, clove leaf oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet orange oil, angelica oil, radix bupleuri oil, cyperus oil and oregano oil, or a mixed solvent system of the above essential oil and oil, and the oil is one or more of olive oil, jojoba oil, fish oil and liquid paraffin, and the content of the oil in the mixed solvent system is less than 80% w / w. The essential oil gel is prepared by the anti-solvent dispersion method, i.e., the small-molecule active flavonoid component is dissolved in the organic solvent and then dispersed in the essential oil to form the gel. The organic solvent is one or more of N-methyl pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and N,N-diethylacetamide, and the content of the organic solvent in the gel is less than 12% w / w.

2. The essential oil gel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gel does not flow down when it is inverted in a container, or the storage modulus G' is higher than the loss modulus G'' in the rheological test.

3. The essential oil gel of claim 1, wherein: The content of the small-molecule active flavonoid component is not less than 4% w / w.

4. The essential oil gel of claim 1, wherein: The weight ratio of the organic solvent to the essential oil is 1:331-1:7.

7.

5. The essential oil gel of claim 4, wherein: The organic solvent is N-methyl pyrrolidone.

6. The essential oil gel of claim 1, wherein: The small-molecule active flavonoid component is arbutin and wogonoside, and the essential oil is clove leaf oil and Asian mint oil.

7. A method of preparing the essential oil gel according to claim 1, characterized by: The method is the anti-solvent dispersion method, i.e., the small-molecule active flavonoid component is dissolved in the organic solvent and then dispersed in the essential oil to form the gel, and the weight ratio of the organic solvent to the essential oil is 1:331-1:7.7, and one or more of ultrasonic, high-speed shearing, vortex and stirring is used for auxiliary dispersion.

8. The method of preparing a gel of essential oils according to claim 7, characterized in that: The essential oil is one or more of Asian mint oil, peppermint oil, green mint oil, clove leaf oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, eucalyptus oil, sweet orange oil, angelica oil, radix bupleuri oil, cyperus oil and oregano oil, or a mixed solvent system of the above essential oil and oil, and the oil is one or more of olive oil, jojoba oil, fish oil and liquid paraffin, and the content of the oil in the mixed solvent system is less than 80% w / w.

9. Use of the essential oil gel of claim 1 in the manufacture of a product, characterized in that: The product has the effects of skin moisturizing, whitening, food preservation, antibacterial and / or anti-inflammatory.

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