ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF ISOLATED BACTERIA FROM BILE FLUIDS OF PATIENTS WITH GALLSTONE DISEASE IN ISFAHAN CITY (IRAN)

Bacterial infections are one of the important agents in the creation of gallstones in the gallbladder. In recent years the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) is increasing and of concern in hospitalized patients worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated bacteria from the bile specimens of patients with chronic and acute cholecystitis who had been operated by single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) in Isfahan (Iran) using an antibiogram susceptibility test and molecular technique. The bile fluids of 91 patients were obtained from the Al-Zahra hospital and were cultured on specific media for the isolation of Gram-negative and positive bacteria and the disk diffusion test was done to determine the antibiotic susceptibility patterns of isolated bacteria. Finally, bacterial DNA was extracted from the bile samples and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to investigate extended-spectrum beta-lactamases genes. The bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus spp. and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in bile specimens cultured with high frequency, and the results showed that biliary infection increased with aging in patients with gallstone disease operated by SILC. The results showed a high frequency of ESBL genes including TEM, SHV, and CTX-M in isolated bacteria (especially Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp.). Thus, evaluating the antibiotic susceptibility patterns and screening of ESBLs bacteria in patients with gallstones are essential. Prescribing suitable drugs, designing good strategies, and informing the medical community could decrease bile infection and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical centers and hospitals

Improved delivery of voriconazole to Aspergillus fumigatus through solid lipid nanoparticles as an effective carrier

Novel voriconazole-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (VRC-SLNs) were prepared via probe-ultrasonication method, and the resultant nanoparticles were tested on A. fumigatus. Voriconazole-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared using the probe ultrasonication technique. Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) was used to determine the average particle size and zeta potential of SLN formulations. Transmission electron microscopy was also used to determine the morphology of solid lipid nanoparticles. To determine MIC for all SLN formulations against strains of Aspergillus the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines was followed. The results showed that SLNs containing voriconazole exhibited almost spherical shape with a diameter and zeta potential of 286.6 ± 4.7 nm and −15 ± 4.1 mV respectively. This novel formulation of VRC led to a significant reduction in MICs for all Aspergillus either VRC-susceptible or VRC-resistant isolates (P < 0.05). The MIC50 drug concentration was obtained as 0.015 μg/ml for both VRC-susceptible strains of A. fumigates while it was 0.25 μg/ml against VRC (p < 0.05). VRC-resistant strains showed a MIC50 of 0.015 μg/ml as well. These novel drug formulations may increase the bioavailability through an increase in the dissolution rate of voriconazole. This study showed, for the first time, VRC-SLNs can be employed as an effective delivery systems for VRC on A. fumigatus isolates

Spironolactone loaded nanostructured lipid carrier gel for effective treatment of mild and moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind, prospective trial

Spironolactone (SP) known as an anti-androgen drug, has been proven to be effective in treatment of acne. The quest to minimize the unnecessary systemic side effects associated with the oral drug administration of spironolactone, has led to a growing interest of loading SP on lipid nanoparticles to deliver the drug in a topical formulation. The aim of the current investigation was to prepare and compare the performance of SP loaded nanostructured lipid carrier (SP-NLC) and SP alcoholic gels (SP-ALC) on two groups of respective patient populations, group A and group B in the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. The results showed that SPNLCs were spherical in shape with an average diameter of ~240 nm. The polydispersity index (PI) and zeta potential of these nanoparticles were 0.286 and -21.4 respectively. The gels showed non-Newtonian independent pseudoplastic and shear thinning behavior. The SP-NLCs was not toxic to fibroblast cell strains at the 24 and 48 h periods. Results showed that the mean number of total lesions (37.66 ± 9.27) and non-inflammatory lesions (29.26 ± 7.99) in group A significantly decreased to 20.31 ± 6.58 (p<0.05) and to 13.95 ± 5.22 (p<0.05) respectively. A similar pattern was observed for group B where the mean number of total lesions and non-inflammatory lesions reduced from 33.73 ± 9.40 to 19.13 ± 5.53 (p<0.05) and from 25.65±8.12 to 13.45 ± 4.48 (p<0.05) respectively. The total lesion count (TLC) was significantly decreased from 37.16 ± 9.28 to 19.63 ± 6.36 (for group A; p<0.071) and 32.60 ± 9.32 to 18.33 ± 5.55 (for group B; p<0.05) respectively. After treatment with SP-NLC for 8 weeks, the water content of the skin significantly (p<0.05) increased from 37.44 ± 8.85 to 45.69 ± 19.34 instrumental units. Therefore, the SP-NLC gel may help in controlling acne vulgaris with skin care benefits

Improved yeast delivery of fluconazole with a nanostructured lipid carrier system

Despite the growing trends in the number of patients at risk for invasive fungal infections, management with current antifungal agents results in complications due to changes in the epidemiology and drug susceptibility of invasive fungal infections. In the present research fluconazole-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers were prepared using probe ultrasonication techniques and investigated the efficacy of the optimal formulation on a large number of Candida species. The morphology of the obtained nanostructured lipid carriers was characterized by transmission-electron microscopy. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for the new formulations against strains of Candida were investigated using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute document M27-A3 and M27-S4 as a guideline. The fluconazole-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers presented a spherical shape with a mean diameter, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency of 126.4 ± 15.2 nm, −35.1 ± 3.0 mV, and 93.6 ± 3.5%, respectively. The drug release from fluconazole-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers exhibited burst-release behavior at the initial stage followed by sustained release over 24 h. Using a new formulation of fluconazole led to a significant decrease in MICs for all Candida groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, C. albicans isolates showed more susceptibility to fluconazole-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers than C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis (P < 0.05). The MIC50 drug concentration was obtained as 0.0625, 0.031 and 0.25 μg/ml for fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans, C. glabrata, and C. parapsilosis, respectively. In conclusion, a novel delivery system which can be used as part of a strategy to improve the antifungal activity of fluconazole against various Candida strains with different susceptibilities to conventional formulations of fluconazole was evaluated

The design of naproxen solid lipid nanoparticles to target skin layers

The aim of the current investigation was to produce naproxen solid lipid nanoparticles (Nap-SLNs) by the ultrasonication method to improve its skin permeation and also to investigate the influence of Hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) changes on nanoparticles properties. The properties of obtained SLNs loaded with naproxen were characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). FT-IR was also used to investigate any interaction between naproxen and the excipients used at the molecular level during the preparation of the SLNs. The performance of the formulations was investigated in terms of skin permeation and also the retention of the drug by the skin. It was found that generally, with increasing the lipid concentration, the average particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of SLNs increased from 94.257 ± 4.852 nm to 143.90 ± 2.685 nm and from 0.293 ± 0.037 to 0.525 ± 0.038 respectively. The results also showed that a reduction in the HLB resulted in an increase in the PDI, particle size, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency (EE %). DSC showed that the naproxen encapsulated in the SLNs was in its amorphous form. The peaks of prominent functional groups of naproxen were found in the FT-IR spectra of naproxen-SLN, which confirmed the entrapment of naproxen in the lipid matrix. FT-IR results also ruled out any chemical interaction between drug and the chemicals used in the preparation of SLNs. The amount of naproxen detected in the receptor chamber at all the sampling times for the reference formulation (naproxen solution containing all surfactants at pH 7.4) was higher than that of the Nap-SLN8 formulation. Nap-SLN8 showed an increase in the concentration of naproxen in the skin layer with less systemic absorption. This indicates that most of the drug in Nap-SLN8 remains in the skin which can reduce the side effect of systemic absorption of the drug and increases the concentration of the drug at the site of the action

Development and optimisation of spironolactone nanoparticles for enhanced dissolution rates and stability

Stable solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) formulations to enhance the dissolution rates of poorly soluble drug spironolactone (SP) were being developed. Probe ultra-sonication method was used to prepare SLNs and NLCs. All NLCs contained stearic acid (solid lipid carrier) and oleic acid (liquid lipid content), whereas, SLNs were prepared and optimised by using the solid lipid only. The particles were characterised in terms of particle size analysis, thermal behaviour, morphology, stability and in vitro release. The zeta sizer data revealed that the increase in the concentration of oleic acid in the formulations reduced the mean particle size and the zeta potential. The increase in concentration of oleic acid from 0 to 30% (w/w) resulted in a higher entrapment efficiency. All nanoparticles were almost spherically shaped with an average particle size of about ∼170 nm. The DSC traces revealed that the presence of oleic acid in the NLC formulations resulted in a shift in the melting endotherms to a higher temperature. This could be attributed to a good long-term stability of the nanoparticles. The stability results showed that the particle size remained smaller in NLC compared to that of SLN formulations after 6 months at various temperatures. The dissolution study showed about a 5.1- to 7.2-fold increase in the release of the drug in 2 h compared to the raw drug. Comparing all nanoparticle formulations indicated that the NLC composition with a ratio of 70:30 (solid:liquid lipid) is the most suitable formulation with desired drug dissolution rates, entrapment efficiency and physical stability

Effect of Rosa damascena Essential Oil Loaded in Nanostructured Lipid Carriers on the Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 in Comparison with Cisplatin

Purpose: As Rosa damascena essential oils (RDEOs) have antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, and insecticidal activity, they could therefore be useful in the treatment of breast cancer. In the current study, an attempt was made to incorporate RDEO in a lipid-based drug delivery system, namely, nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) to boost its anticancer effect compared to cisplatin. Methods: Gas chromatography (GC) identified the chemical compositions of RDEO. RDEO-NLCs were prepared using the probe ultrasonication method. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential by dynamic light scattering. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulations and their loading capacity were also determined, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to evaluate the morphology of the optimal formulation (quoted as RDEO-NLC2). The anticancer effect of RDEO-NLC2 on MDA-MB-231 cells and apoptosis were assessed using MTT and in vitro cellular assays respectively. Results: TEM result revealed a distinct spherical shape for RDEO-NLC2, with an average particle size of 78.39 ± 1.5 nm obtained by Zetasizer. The results also showed that the obtained particles had a negative surface charge (− 31.0 mV) with a polydispersity index of 0.28 ± 0.01. The chemotherapy drug cisplatin showed more cytotoxicity than RDEO-NLC2 against cancer cells. Cellular data demonstrated that RDEO-NLC2 like cisplatin can decline the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells through apoptosis compared to cells treated with the placebo and free RDEO. Conclusion: RDEO-NLC2 has the ability to stimulate apoptosis in the human BC cell line MDA-MN-231; hence, it can be beneficial in the treatment of patients suffering from breast cancer.</p