Sustained release of Zingerone from polymeric nanoparticles: An anti-virulence strategy against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>
Karuna Sharma, Pradip Nirbhavane, Sanjay Chhibber, Kusum Harjai
Abstract
Zingerone loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Z-NPs) were developed to deliver the Zingerone across cell membrane and to further enhance its anti-virulence property. The Z-NPs were characterized with respect to size, percentage entrapment efficiency (% EE), zeta potential and percentage drug release. Further the Z-NPs were evaluated for antioxidant DPPH assay, antibiofilm, anti-virulence activities, and gene expression profiles. The developed Z-NPs showed an average size of 390 nm, zeta potential of +56.6 mV, 67% drug entrapment efficiency, and exhibited pH dependent controlled release of Zingerone over a period of 5 days (up to 80%). The Z-NPs retained the antioxidant effect of Zingerone as assessed by DPPH scavenging assay. Evaluation of nanoformulation for anti-virulence potential against Pseudomonas aeruginosa depicted significant reduction in swimming, swarming, and twitching motilities along with quorum sensing inhibition and eradication of biofilms. Decrease in expression of quorum sensing (QS) genes was also observed in the presence of Z-NPs. The results of the present study revealed that Z-NPs could be exploited as a promising anti-virulence candidate against P. aeruginosa infections.