Purpose: The Objective of the present investigation was to enhance the skin delivery of vitamin A (Vit A) via producing solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) through ultrasonication technique. Methods: For achieving optimal skin delivery, impacts of two surfactants ratio of Tween80:Span80 on nanoparticles (NPs) features and the respective functions were examined. Powder X-ray diffractometer (PXRD), photon correlation spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied for characterizing the solid state of Vit A in the SLN. Results: Results showed that size of the NPs is usually enhanced by adding co-emulsifier (Span80). Notably, minimum NPs size (64.85±4.259 nm) was achieved while the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of the binary surfactants was 12.08, close to HLB of beeswax (HLB=12) as lipid matrix. Also, maximum entrapment efficiency (66.01±8.670%) was observed in the formulation. DSC thermogram indicated an amorphous form of Vit A in SLN. ATR-FTIR spectra of Vit A-SLN illustrated that prominent functional groups are found in the formulations that might be a sign of acceptable entrapment of Vit A in a lipid matrix. Moreover, ATR-FTIR studies showed no chemical interactions between Vit A and excipients. Skin irritation test proved the non-irritancy of Vit A-SLN2, when applied to the dorsal region of Wistar rats. Finally, any cellular toxicity was not seen for NPs. Conclusion: It was found that the procured Vit A-SLNs could be utilized as potent carriers for the dermal delivery of Vit A.

Purpose: Foodborne diseases are still a serious problem in public health and natural compounds are being widely considered for their potential industrial protective additive in food products. Origanum vulgare L. has been known as an antimicrobial effective herb. This present study was carried out to examine the antimicrobial effect of O. vulgare essential oil nanoemulsion in comparison with conventional emulsion.

Background: Recently, niosomes are becoming popular in drug delivery. The current work aimed to investigate the characteristics, cellular safety, and antifungal activity of ketoconazole-loaded niosome (ketosome). Methods: Ultrasonic approach was employed to prepare ketosome including cholesterol, nonionic surfactant and ketoconazole. The size characteristics and morphological features of ketosome and physicochemical properties of ketoconazole in ketosomes were evaluated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder x-ray diffractometer (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Also, the dissolution rate, cellular safety test and antimycotic properties of ketosome were examined. Results: According to the results, the particle size of the ketosome decreased from 491.400±10.622 to 121.300±7.274 nm by the increment of cholesterol. According to further research, changes in the cholesterol:surfactants ratio can modulate the zeta potential from -27.866±1.069 to -12.500±1.153 mV. The highest entrapment of ketoconazole was about 87% when the cholesterol concentration in the ketosome was high. Ketosome with the maximum cholesterol:surfactants ratio showed the fastest drug release. Furthermore, the cell viability assay revealed that the ketosome had lower cytotoxicity in comparison with pure drug. The cell viability of the ketosome was estimated to be about 90% (HGF cell line). The ketosome had a lower MIC than the pure drug when tested against Candida albicans. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the optimized ketoconazole-loaded niosome could be used as a possible nanovesicle for ketoconazole drug delivery, potentially opening up new ways for the management of cutaneous candidiasis complaints.

Background: Recently, nanoparticles were widely used in drug delivery. Fluconazole (FLZ) is a lipid-soluble antifungal, which is utilized in treating fungal infections. The current work aimed to investigate the characteristics and antifungal activity of FLZ nanosuspension. Methods: FLZ nanosuspensions were prepared by Ultrasonication (simple and containing polymer). Surfactants in various concentrations were dissolved in the deionized water, and the drug powder was dispersed in the surfactant solution by a high-speed homogenizer to achieve nanosuspension. The polymer was added to the selected formula. FLZ nanosuspension characteristics, including polydispersity, mean particle size, entrapment efficacy, and zeta potential, were assessed. The release profile via dialysis membrane, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and TEM were performed for nanosuspension evaluation. Antifungal activity against resistant strains of C. albicans was defined according to the CLSI document guideline. To analyze the results, one-way ANOVA was used, followed by Tukey test. Results: The results showed that increased sonication time and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) significantly affected particle size reduction. Moreover, modification in the formulation components had a significant effect on the drug release process, furthermore affecting the properties of the nanoparticles. ATR-FTIR showed no chemical interaction between FLZ and formulation components. Compare to FLZ, a significant reduction (p < 0.05) was detected in the MIC values of both FLZ-resistant and FLZ-susceptible strains of C. albicans against FLZ nanosuspension. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the ratio and amount of surfactants, the HLB, and the sonication process have effects on the properties of the nanoparticle’s characteristics, and selected nanoparticles show suitable antifungal effect against resistant strains of C. albicans.