Ammonium Glycyrrhizate: A natural biosurfactant for the design of innovative nanocarriers.

[Display omitted] • We used AG, a bioactive compound extracted from Licorice root, as surfactant. • We have shown the AG ability to self-assemble in homogeneous and stable vesicular structures. • AG niosomes obtained, showed an important antinflammatory activity. • AG niosomes were investigate as carrier of other compounds such as curcumin. In this paper, the surfactant properties of Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, a bioactive compound present in Licorice root were studied. Considering the ability of this bioactive molecule to form micelles, we investigated for the first time the self-assemble of Ammonium Glycyrrhizate in vesicle structures. The organization of Ammonium Glycyrrhizate in vesicles allows to increase its bioavailability and, so, efficacy but also to use them as carrier of other drugs for potential combination therapy. Niosomes made up of Ammonium Glycyrrhizate were prepared using thin layer evaporation technique without the use of additional excipients and characterized in term of size, polydispersion index, Zeta potential and colloidal stability. Moreover, the performance of these innovative vesicles as carriers of hydrophilic drug (Fluorescein sodium) or a lipophilic molecule (Curcumin), was evaluated. Nanocarriers showed nanometric sizes, hexagonal shape, high colloidal stability and ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules. These vesicles did not showed cytotoxicity nor antimicrobial activityMoreover, it was found that these niosomes enhanced skin permeation and diffusion in several media and an important ability to interact with mucin. Considering its antinflammatory nature, in vitro inhibition of albumin denaturation assay was also carried out to test if the drug maintains these properties also when organized in colloidal structures. The obtained results highlighted an important antinflammatory activity suggesting the potential role of these nanodevices alone or loaded with other therapeutic molecules for the treatment of inflammatory-based diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]