Assessment of Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activities of Liposomes Loaded with Curcumin and Lippia origanoides Essential Oil

• Published in: Biomolecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-07, Vol.14 (7), p.851
• Main Authors: Bedoya-Agudelo, Juan Pablo, López-Carvajal, Jhon Esteban, Quiguanás-Guarín, Edwin Stiven, Cardona, Nestor, Padilla-Sanabria, Leonardo, Castaño-Osorio, Jhon Carlos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - chemistry; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; antimicrobial; Antimicrobial activity; Antimicrobial agents; Biological activity; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chromatography; Curcumin; Curcumin - chemistry; Curcumin - pharmacology; Cytotoxicity; Efficiency; Encapsulation; Essential oils; Humans; Lipids; liposome; Liposomes; Liposomes - chemistry; Lippia - chemistry; Lippia origanoides; Lippia origanoides essential oil; Mammalian cells; Mass spectrometry; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Microorganisms; Oils & fats; Oils, Volatile - chemistry; Oils, Volatile - pharmacology; Particle Size; Pathogens; Scientific imaging; Skin; Staphylococcus aureus - drug effects; Staphylococcus infections; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2218-273X; 2218-273X
• DOI: 10.3390/biom14070851

(1) Introduction: Curcumin and essential oils have a broad spectrum of biological activities; however, their physicochemical instability, low solubility, and high volatility limit their therapeutic use. Encapsulation in liposomes has been reported as a feasible approach to increase the physicochemical stability of active substances, protect them from interactions with the environment, modulate their release, reduce their volatility, improve their bioactivity, and reduce their toxicity. To date, there are no reports on the co-encapsulation of curcumin and essential oils in liposomes. Therefore, the objective of this work is to prepare and physiochemical characterize liposomes loaded with the mixture of these compounds and to evaluate different in vitro biological activities. (2) Methods: Liposomes were produced using the thin-layer method and physiochemical characteristics were calculated. The antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of both encapsulated and non-encapsulated compounds were evaluated. (3) Results: Empty and loaded nanometric-sized liposomes were obtained that are monodisperse and have a negative zeta potential. They inhibited the growth of and did not exhibit cytotoxic activity against mammalian cells. (4) Conclusions: Encapsulation in liposomes was demonstrated to be a promising strategy for natural compounds possessing antimicrobial activity.