Spray dried curcumin loaded nanoparticles for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biotechnology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global health crisis, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• The declining pipeline of new antibiotics highlights the urgent need for alternative treatments.
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a promising alternative for combating bacterial infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an inhalable nanoformulation for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT).
• To create nano-in-microparticles encapsulating curcumin nanoparticles within a mannitol matrix for respiratory infections.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of nano-in-microparticles containing curcumin nanoparticles.
• Characterization of aerodynamic properties (mass median aerodynamic diameter, fine particle fraction).
• Assessment of nanoparticle redispersibility and antibacterial photoactivity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli.

Main Results:

• Nano-in-microparticles exhibited favorable aerodynamic properties for inhalation (MMAD 2.88 ± 0.13 µm, FPF 60.99 ± 9.50%).
• Redispersed nanoparticles retained their original properties, confirmed by DLS and electron microscopy.
• Significant bacterial viability reduction was achieved: 6.1 log10 for S. saprophyticus and 1.6 log10 for E. coli.

Conclusions:

• Nano-in-microparticles are effective drug delivery systems for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy.
• This formulation shows potential for treating respiratory tract bacterial infections.
• The developed system offers a viable alternative to conventional antibiotics.