Colistin- and amikacin-loaded lipid-based drug delivery systems for resistant gram-negative lung and wound bacterial infections

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Infectious Diseases
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health challenge.
• Gram-negative bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii are major contributors to AMR, causing severe nosocomial infections.
• Colistin and amikacin are vital antibiotics for treating these resistant infections but exhibit significant toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the necessity of colistin and amikacin for treating resistant gram-negative infections.
• To examine the toxicity associated with these antibiotics.
• To highlight lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDSs) as a strategy to mitigate antibiotic toxicity.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current strategies for managing antibiotic toxicity.
• Analysis of the efficacy of LBDDSs, including liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs).
• Evaluation of colistin- and amikacin-loaded NLCs for treating lung and wound infections.

Main Results:

• Current clinical strategies for preventing colistin and amikacin toxicity are largely ineffective.
• LBDDSs, particularly NLCs, demonstrate significant potential in reducing antibiotic-associated toxicity.
• Colistin- and amikacin-loaded NLCs show superior efficacy compared to liposomes and SLNs for tackling AMR.

Conclusions:

• Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) offer a promising approach for the safe and effective delivery of colistin and amikacin.
• NLCs have the potential to significantly improve treatment outcomes for difficult-to-treat nosocomial infections caused by resistant gram-negative bacteria.
• Further development of NLC-based antibiotic delivery systems is crucial for combating the global AMR crisis.