Evaluation of the influence of surfactants from lipid nanoparticles on their physicochemical, antimicrobial and cellular interaction

• Grant number: 22/05047-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Laura de Oliveira Nascimento
• Grantee: Samira Elisa Alves Geraldo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/08201-7 - Development of powdered Levofloxacin loaded NLC by advanced processing techniques, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NCL's) are stable, scalable, biodegradable drug carriers that are administered by different routes of administration. These nanostructures often rely on surfactants for their colloidal stability, but amphiphilic molecules also influence the fate and release of the delivered drug. Adsorption of protein on nanoparticle surface, depending on the amount and type of adsorbed protein (corona protein), can dictate the fate of NLCs in the body when administered in the bloodstream, or even their systemic absorption when applied to mucous membranes. In particular, when antibiotics are carried on particles that contain surfactant, the excipient may present synergic antimicrobial action or sensitize microorganisms to other compounds. Considering these advantages, levofloxacin, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial fluoroquinolone effective in the treatment of respiratory tract infections, was encapsulated in a previous project with a high rate of encapsulation and physicochemical stability in NLC with polysorbate 80 (Fapesp n° 2018/03666 -3). Therefore, this project aims to produce Levofloxacin NLCs stabilized by different surfactants and verify their influence on particle paremeters (Zeta potential, pdI, size and morphology), drug content (release profile and encapsulation efficiency), cytotoxicity (red blood cells and lung cells), and synergy with other antibiotics against bacteria in the lung environment. The results will contribute to future choices of excipients in view of the desired characteristics, as well as to the understanding of the role of this class of excipients.