A Curcumin-Loaded Liposomal Photodynamic Nanosystem for Effective Treatment of Bacterial Wound Infections

Background/Objectives: Bacterial wound infections remain a significant clinical burden because of prolonged healing and the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. This study aimed to develop a curcumin-loaded liposomal nanosystem (Lipo-Cur) for light-triggered photodynamic antibacterial therapy and enhanced wound repair. Methods: Lipo -Cur was prepared and characterized in terms of morphology, particle size, dispersibility, drug en-capsulation, curcumin solubility, and photostability. Reactive oxygen species generation under 430 nm blue-light irradiation was evaluated. The antibacterial activity of Lipo-Cur against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was assessed in vitro. Its effects on the proliferation, migration, and colony formation of L929 and HaCaT cells were also examined. Therapeutic efficacy and biosafety were further evaluated in a murine S. aureus-infected wound model. Results: Lipo-Cur exhibited a near-spherical morphology with an average diameter of 134.8 nm, excellent dispersibility, high drug encapsulation, and improved curcumin solubility and photostability. Under 430 nm blue-light irradiation, Lipo-Cur efficiently generated reactive oxygen species. It exhibited minimum inhibitory concentrations of 100 and 125 μg/mL against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively, and achieved bactericidal rates exceeding 95%, outperforming free curcumin. Lipo-Cur also significantly enhanced L929 and HaCaT cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation, indicating favorable biocompatibility. In the murine infect-ed-wound model, Lipo-Cur combined with blue-light irradiation (Lipo-Cur-BL⁺) achieved 93.76 ± 1.56% wound closure by day 12, accelerated tissue regeneration, reduced inflammation, and caused no evident systemic toxicity or hemolysis. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that Lipo-Cur is a safe and effective photodynamic antibacterial platform with considerable potential for treating bacterially infected wounds and promoting wound healing.