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Bacterial keratitis (BK) is a serious ocular infection that can lead to vision impairment or blindness if not treated promptly. Herein, we report the development of a versatile composite hydrogel consisting of silk fibroin and sodium alginate, reinforced by antibiotic-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) for the treatment of BK. The drug delivery system is constructed by incorporating vancomycin- and ceftazidime-loaded MSNs into the hydrogel network. The synthesized MSNs were found to be spherical in shape with an average size of about 95 nm. The loading capacities of both drugs were approximately 45% and 43%, for vancomycin and ceftazidime respectively. Moreover, the formulation exhibited a sustained release profile, with 92% of vancomycin and 90% of ceftazidime released over a 24 h period. The cytocompatibility of the drug carrier was also confirmed by MTT assay results. In addition, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to better reflect the drug-drug and drug-MSN interactions. The results obtained from RMSD, number of contacts, and MSD analyses perfectly corroborated the experimental findings. In brief, the designed drug-MSN@hydrogel could mark an intriguing new chapter in the treatment of BK., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists.)

In this study, we aimed to utilize phospholipids from the bacterium Pseudomonas putida (PP) as a plentiful, safe, and accessible resource for creating nanoliposomes to deliver doxorubicin (Dox) to MCF-7 breast cancer cells. This bacterium provides a cost-effective source of phospholipids commonly used in nanoliposome production, with no toxicity or adverse environmental impact. To this end, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were first conducted to evaluate the feasibility of this approach and to analyze the behavior and interaction of Dox with the nanoliposomes. The phospholipids of PP were then extracted using Folch's technique. Subsequently, Dox-loaded PP-derived nanoliposomes (PNL-Dox) were developed using the thin-film method. The physicochemical properties of the fabricated nanocarrier were then investigated and the anticancer effects of this system were tested on MCF-7 cells. The results of the MD simulations indicated that Dox reacted with all of the phospholipids through hydrogen bonds without affecting the fluidity, stability, and thickness of the nanoliposome membrane. Additionally, a small number of Dox molecules interacted with the nanocarrier membrane, while the remaining were located in its interior. The physicochemical investigation results showed that PNL-Dox had an average particle size and zeta potential of 271.7 ± 7.1 nm and -8.8 ± 3.3 mV, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the particles were spherical and did not show any signs of aggregation. Drug release of PNL-Dox was gradual at pH 7.4 and 6.5, with a significantly higher release at pH 6.5. In vitro studies demonstrated successful uptake of PNL-Dox by MCF-7 cells, resulting in cytotoxicity within 24 and 48 h of treatment. Also, it increased apoptosis and reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these cells. Our study showcased the potential of PP phospholipids to form a promising anti-cancer drug delivery system, opening up new possibilities for the treatment of all types of cancers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Nowadays, medicinal plants are used to overcome the side effects of prescription drugs in modern medicine. Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) derived from the root of the licorice plant is one of the plant compounds whose effectiveness has been confirmed in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disorders (IBD). Liposome thin film hydration method was used to synthesize chitosan-coated liposomes containing GA. In the present study, chitosan-coated liposome was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FTIR spectrum confirmed the coating of liposomes by chitosan polymer.  Liposome coating leads to an increase in the size and values of zeta potential. The 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay of chitosan-coated liposomes containing GA confirmed that it has no cytotoxicity toward fibroblasts cell line, therefore confirming their cytocompatibility. Overall, drug loading, release and cytotoxicity were evaluated and it was found that chitosan decreased the release rate of GA. It seems; chitosan-coated liposomes may be a suitable system for delivering liposomal GA in the treatment of IBD.