Evaluation of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of nerolidol encapsulated in a nanoliposome system.

Abstract

Plant-derived compounds have emerged as potential alternatives to traditional antimicrobials in livestock; however, their application may be limited by degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Nanoliposome encapsulation offers a strategy to overcome these limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of nerolidol encapsulation, by evaluating the antimicrobial activity of free-nerolidol (NER), nerolidol-loaded nanoliposomes (LN), and unloaded nanoliposomes (UN) (Lipobox&#x2122;) using a Time-Kill assay. The cytotoxicity of these formulations was assessed through MTT assay on swine and bovine cell lines. NER was effective against MRSA,, andat all time points, at concentrations &#x2265;62.5, &#x2265;15.63 and &#x2265;1,000 &#x3bc;g/ml, respectively, but was ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria Conversely, LN and UN were effective against all bacteria, showing the best activity at 2,500 &#x3bc;g/ml. LN showed the greatest activity against MRSA up to 6 h while UN onup to 4 h (< 0.05). No difference between LN and UN onup to 24 h and onup to 6 h at this concentration (> 0.05) was observed. For, both LN and UN were effective up to 6 h even at the lowest concentration (9.77 &#x3bc;g/ml). NER showed high cytotoxicity on MDBK and IPEC-J2 cells at all doses; while LN and UN were low-toxic at concentrations &#x2264; 1,250 &#x3bc;g/ml or &#x2264; 625 &#x3bc;g/ml, respectively. These results suggest that nanoliposomes themselves exhibit dose-dependent antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity; however, when NER is encapsulated its spectrum of activity its enhanced.