Preparation and optimization of ciprofloxacin encapsulated niosomes: A new approach for enhanced antibacterial activity, biofilm inhibition and reduced antibiotic resistance in ciprofloxacin-resistant methicillin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus.

Ciprofloxacin is an alternative to vancomycin for treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. The objective of this study was to optimization of niosomes encapsulated ciprofloxacin and evaluate their antibacterial and anti-biofilm efficacies against ciprofloxacin-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CR-MRSA) strains. Formulation of niosomes encapsulated ciprofloxacin were optimized by changing the proportions of Tween 60, Span 60, and cholesterol. The optimized ciprofloxacin encapsulated niosomal formulations based on Span 60 and Tween 60 were prepared and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The SEM and TEM results showed that the formulation of niosomes encapsulated ciprofloxacin were spherical with a size between 50 and 150 nm. The prepared niosomal formulations showed high storage stability up to 30 days with the slight change in size and drug entrapment during the storage, making them good candidates for drug delivery systems. Optimum niosome encapsulated ciprofloxacin enhanced antibacterial activity against CR-MRSA strains via reduction in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value and inhibited significantly biofilm formation. Niosome encapsulated ciprofloxacin down-regulated the expression of icaB biofilm formation gene. Our results showed that encapsulating ciprofloxacin in niosomes is a promising approach to enhanced antibacterial activity, biofilm inhibition and reduced resistance to antibiotic in CR-MRSA strains.