Department of Research and Development, Able Medical Company Limited, Chiang Yuen, Mahasarakham 44160, Thailand.
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand.
World J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2024 Mar 9;40(4):129. doi: 10.1007/s11274-024-03916-0.
Fungal infections represent a challenging threat to the human health. Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton rubrum are pathogenic fungi causing various topical mycoses in humans. The globally emerging issue of resistance to fungi demands the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In this context, the application of nanoliposomes as vehicles for carrying active therapeutic agents can be a suitable alternative. In this study, rhinacanthin-C was isolated from Rhinacanthus naustus and encapsulated in nano-liposomal formulations, which were prepared by the modified ethanol injection method. The two best formulations composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), cholesterol (CHL), and tween 80 (T80) in a molar ratio of 1:1:0 (F1) and 1:1:0.5 (F2) were proceeded for experimentation. The physical characteristics and antifungal activities were performed and compared with solutions of rhinacanthin-C. The rhinacanthin-C encapsulating efficiencies in F1 and F2 were 94.69 ± 1.20% and 84.94 ± 1.32%, respectively. The particle sizes were found to be about 221.4 ± 13.76 nm (F1) and 115.8 ± 23.33 nm (F2), and zeta potential values of -38.16 mV (F1) and -40.98 mV (F2). Similarly, the stability studies of rhinacanthin-C in liposomes demonstrated that rhinacanthin-C in both formulations was more stable in mediums with pH of 4.0 and 6.6 than pure rhinacanthin-C when stored at the same conditions. Rhinacanthin-C in F1 was slightly more stable than F2 when stored in mediums with a pH of 10.0 after three months of storage. However, rhinacanthin-C in both formulations was less stable than pure rhinacanthin-C in a basic medium of pH 10.0. The antifungal potential was evaluated against M. gypsum and T. rubrum. The findings revealed a comparatively higher zone of inhibition for F1. In the MIC study, SPC: CHL: T80 showed higher inhibition against M. gypseum and a slightly higher inhibition against T. rubrum compared to free rhinacanthin-C solution. Moreover, rhinacanthin-C showed significant interaction against 14α-demethylase in in silico study. Overall, this study demonstrates that nanoliposomes containing rhinacanthin-C can improve the stability and antifungal potential of rhinacanthin-C with sustained and prolonged duration of action and could be a promising vehicle for delivery of active ingredients for targeting various fungal infections.
真菌感染对人类健康构成了严峻挑战。石膏样小孢子菌和红色毛癣菌是引起人类各种皮肤真菌感染的致病性真菌。真菌耐药性这一全球性问题的出现,需要开发新的治疗策略。在这种情况下,将纳米脂质体用作携带活性治疗剂的载体可能是一种合适的替代方法。在本研究中,从射干中分离出 rhinacanthin-C 并包封在纳米脂质体制剂中,该制剂通过改良的乙醇注入法制备。由大豆卵磷脂 (SPC)、胆固醇 (CHL) 和吐温 80 (T80) 以摩尔比 1:1:0 (F1) 和 1:1:0.5 (F2) 组成的两种最佳配方进行实验。进行了物理特性和抗真菌活性的测试,并与 rhinacanthin-C 的溶液进行了比较。F1 和 F2 中 rhinacanthin-C 的包封效率分别为 94.69 ± 1.20%和 84.94 ± 1.32%。粒径分别约为 221.4 ± 13.76nm(F1)和 115.8 ± 23.33nm(F2),Zeta 电位值分别为-38.16mV(F1)和-40.98mV(F2)。同样,脂质体中 rhinacanthin-C 的稳定性研究表明,与相同条件下的纯 rhinacanthin-C 相比,两种配方中的 rhinacanthin-C 在 pH 值为 4.0 和 6.6 的介质中更稳定。在储存三个月后,F1 中的 rhinacanthin-C 在 pH 值为 10.0 的介质中比 F2 更稳定。然而,与 pH 值为 10.0 的碱性介质中的纯 rhinacanthin-C 相比,两种配方中的 rhinacanthin-C 都不太稳定。抗真菌潜力评估针对石膏样小孢子菌和红色毛癣菌。结果表明,F1 的抑菌圈较大。在 MIC 研究中,SPC:CHL:T80 对石膏样小孢子菌的抑制作用较高,对红色毛癣菌的抑制作用略高,与游离 rhinacanthin-C 溶液相比。此外,在计算机模拟研究中,rhinacanthin-C 对 14α-去甲基酶表现出显著的相互作用。总体而言,这项研究表明,载有 rhinacanthin-C 的纳米脂质体可以提高 rhinacanthin-C 的稳定性和抗真菌潜力,延长作用持续时间,并可能成为针对各种真菌感染的有效药物载体。