Highly Active, Entirely Biobased Antimicrobial Pickering Emulsions.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Pharmaceutical Science

Background:

• Traditional antimicrobial drugs face challenges with efficacy and resistance.
• Bio-based alternatives are sought for treating infections like fungal infections.
• Petroleum-based azole derivatives are effective but raise environmental concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop fully bio-based, surfactant-free Pickering emulsions for enhanced antimicrobial delivery.
• To incorporate undecylenic acid (UA) into these emulsions to boost its antifungal efficacy.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of these novel formulations.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of β-cyclodextrin and phytoantimicrobial oils (terpinen-4-ol or carvacrol) to form Pickering emulsions.
• Incorporation of undecylenic acid (UA) into the emulsions.
• Antimicrobial efficacy testing against fungi, Gram-positive bacteria (including MRSA), and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli).
• Assessment of anti-biofilm activity against MRSA and E. coli.

Main Results:

• Developed stable, bio-based Pickering emulsions without surfactants or silica.
• Carvacrol emulsion with UA showed significantly enhanced potency against MRSA and C. albicans compared to UA alone and azole formulations.
• Demonstrated remarkable eradication of E. coli and MRSA biofilms.
• The emulsions exhibited broad-spectrum activity against tested microorganisms.

Conclusions:

• Fully bio-based Pickering emulsions offer a promising platform for enhanced antimicrobial drug delivery.
• This formulation strategy significantly improves the efficacy of undecylenic acid against resistant pathogens and biofilms.
• These eco-friendly emulsions represent a sustainable alternative to conventional antimicrobial treatments.