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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
Subcutaneous Infection of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA
Published on: February 9, 2011
The bactericidal effect of liposomal vancomycin as a topical combating system against Methicillin-resistant
Fahimeh Hajiahmadi1, Mohammad Yousef Alikhani1, Hanifeh Shariatifar2
1Department of Microbiology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Abstract:
Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common causes of skin infections and treatment is difficult due to its resistance to the most of antibiotics. Although vancomycin is often considered as an antibacterial agent of choice for the treatment of MRSA, its use is limited because of the high side effects. One solution is using liposomal formulation for local drug delivery. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro and in vivo efficacies of liposomal vancomycin as topical use. Methods: To prepare liposomal vancomycin, the ammonium sulfate gradient using remote loading and freeze-thaw methods was applied. Then, synthesized nanoliposomes were evaluated in terms of particle size, morphology, stability, and encapsulation efficiency. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of synthesized nanoliposome against MRSA was detected. The cytotoxicity of synthesized nanoliposome was evaluated using MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Finally, the topical antibacterial activity of each formulation was tested against MRSA-infected skin wound model in mice. Results: High encapsulation efficiency was achieved for all synthesized nanoliposomes. The results of in vitro and in vivo showed that liposomal vancomycin was more effective than free vancomycin. Also, synthesized nanoliposome showed no cytotoxicity on human epidermoid cell line. Conclusion: The results showed that synthesized nanoliposome could be applied as a great topical antimicrobial construct for treatment of MRSA skin infections.
Insights
Liposomal vancomycin demonstrates enhanced efficacy for treating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections. This topical formulation shows promise as a safe and effective antimicrobial agent against MRSA.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
Background:
- Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) poses a significant challenge in treating skin infections due to antibiotic resistance.
- Vancomycin, a common treatment for MRSA, has limitations due to side effects, necessitating alternative delivery methods.
- Liposomal formulations offer a potential solution for localized drug delivery, improving therapeutic outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of liposomal vancomycin for topical application.
- To assess the safety and effectiveness of a novel nanoliposome formulation for MRSA infections.
Main Methods:
- Liposomal vancomycin was prepared using ammonium sulfate gradient and freeze-thaw methods.
- Nanoliposomes were characterized for particle size, morphology, stability, and encapsulation efficiency.
- In vitro (MIC, cytotoxicity assay) and in vivo (mouse skin wound model) studies were conducted.
Main Results:
- High encapsulation efficiency was achieved for the synthesized nanoliposomes.
- Liposomal vancomycin exhibited superior in vitro and in vivo efficacy compared to free vancomycin.
- The nanoliposome formulation demonstrated no cytotoxicity on human epidermoid cell lines.
Conclusions:
- Synthesized nanoliposomal vancomycin is a promising topical antimicrobial agent for MRSA skin infections.
- This formulation offers an effective and safe alternative for managing challenging bacterial infections.
