Staphyloxanthin loaded niosomal nanocarrier augments its anthelmintic activity against Trichinella spiralis infection in mice.

Trichinellosis, a resurgent zoonotic infestation, threatens public health due to recorded human outbreaks in various nations. The emergence of treatment resistance necessitates the exploration of efficient natural alternatives. Staphyloxanthin (STX), a membrane-associated secondary metabolite carotenoid pigment, underscores pro-oxidative traits, positioning it as a novel therapeutic candidate. Nanostructures demonstrated encouraging promise in overcoming low oral bioavailability, which could undermine the efficacy. Hence, the therapeutic outcome of STX-loaded niosomes was scrutinized both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the prepared niosomal nanovesicles exhibited a spherical form in the nanoscale spectrum. Our in vitro findings demonstrated that STX markedly diminished larval viability, associated with excessive cuticular deformities, numerous notches, and membrane blebbing. The preclinical evaluation revealed that the oral delivery of STX-niosomes showed a superiority of therapeutic efficacy in mice compared to the reference drug. This was reflected by the eradicated adult worms, enhanced histopathological attributes, and reduced larval count. It is noteworthy that the biological findings revealed a significant reduction in the inflammatory expression of TNF-α surrounding trichina capsules. The relationship between STX and the parasite was elucidated, with the promising antiparasitic efficacy being further corroborated through in silico homology modelling and molecular docking approaches. The 3D-modelled target protein structures exhibited excellent quality factors and favourable Ramachandran plot statistics. Intriguingly, in silico docking results obviously revealed the potential affinity of STX to bind and block target protein receptors. In conclusion, our results suggested that STX pigment may serve as a promising pioneering alternative in the anthelmintic fight against trichinellosis.