Co-encapsulation of multi-lipids and polymers enhances the performance of vancomycin in lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles: In vitro and in silico studies.

Nano-drug delivery systems are being widely explored to overcome the challenges with existing antibiotics to treat bacterial infections [1]. Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) display unique advantages of both liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles while excluding some of their limitations, particularly the structural integrity of the polymeric particles and the biomimetic properties of the liposome [1]. The use of helper lipids and polymers in LPNs has not been investigated, but has shown potential in other nano-drug delivery systems to improve drug encapsulation, antibacterial activity and drug release. Therefore, LPNs using co-excipients were prepared using vancomycin (VCM), glyceryl triplamitate and Eudragit RS100 as the drug, lipid and polymer respectively. Oleic acid (OA), Chitosan (CHT) and Sodium alginate (ALG) were explored as co-excipients. Results indicated rod-shaped LPNs with suitable size, PDI and zeta potential, while encapsulation efficiency (%EE) increased from 27.8% to 41.5%, 54.3% and 69.3% with the addition of OA, CHT and ALG respectively. Drug release indicated that VCM-CHT had the best performance in sustained drug release of 36.1 ± 5.35% after 24h. The EE and drug release were further corroborated by in silico and release kinetics data. In vitro antibacterial studies of all formulations exhibited better activity against bare VCM and sustained activity up to day 5 against both Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA, with VCM-OA and VCM-CHT showing better activity against MRSA. Therefore, this LPN proves to be a promising system for delivery of VCM as well as other antibiotics.

Nanoengineered drug delivery systems for enhancing antibiotic therapy.

Formulation scientists are recognizing nanoengineered drug delivery systems as an effective strategy to overcome limitations associated with antibiotic drug therapy. Antibiotics encapsulated into nanodelivery systems will contribute to improved management of patients with various infectious diseases and to overcoming the serious global burden of antibiotic resistance. An extensive review of several antibiotic-loaded nanocarriers that have been formulated to target drugs to infectious sites, achieve controlled drug release profiles, and address formulation challenges, such as low-drug entrapment efficiencies, poor solubility and stability is presented in this paper. The physicochemical properties and the in vitro/in vivo performances of various antibiotic-loaded delivery systems, such as polymeric nanoparticles, micelles, dendrimers, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles, nanohybirds, nanofibers/scaffolds, nanosheets, nanoplexes, and nanotubes/horn/rods and nanoemulsions, are highlighted and evaluated. Future studies that will be essential to optimize formulation and commercialization of these antibiotic-loaded nanosystems are also identified. The review presented emphasizes the significant formulation progress achieved and potential that novel nanoengineered antibiotic drug delivery systems have for enhancing the treatment of patients with a range of infections.