Evaluating the Antimicrobial Activity of Curcumin-loaded Lipid Nanocarriers When Applying Photodynamic and Sonodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of Skin Infections
6 affiliations
- 1Laboratorio de Investigación y Posgrado en Tecnología Farmacéutica (L-322), Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Estado de México, Av. 1o de Mayo s/n, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México C.P. 54740 México
- 2Bacteriología diagnóstica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. 1o de Mayo s/n, Cuautitlán Izcalli, C.P. 54740 Estado de México México
- 3Departamento de Ingeniería, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Estado de México, Carr. Cuautitlán-Teoloyucan Km. 2.5, San Sebastián Xhala, Cuautitlán Izcalli, 54714 Estado de México Mexico
- 4Laboratorio de Hematobiología, Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guillermo Massieu Helguera, No. 239, Fracc. “La Escalera”, Ticomán, Gustavo a. Madero, C.P. 07320 Ciudad de México México
- 5Laboratorio de Postcosecha de Productos Vegetales, Centro de Asimilación Tecnológica, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Jiménez Cantús/n, San Juan Atlámica, Cuautitlán Izcalli, C.P. 54729 Estado de México Mexico
- 6Laboratorio 10, Unidad de Biomedicina, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida de los Barrios Número 1, Colonia Los Reyes Iztacala, Tlalnepantla, C.P. 54090 Estado de México México
Abstract
Purpose: The antimicrobial activity of curcumin is the focus of this article, which sought to enhance it by formulating curcumin in lipid nanocarriers, and by applying Sonodynamic Therapy (ST) and Photodynamic Therapy (PT).
Methodology: Curcumin-loaded lipid nanocarriers were formulated and characterized for size, zeta potential, morphology, FTIR, and DSC. The performance of the formulation was evaluated using antioxidant activity assays, in vitro release assays, occlusion assays, and stability assays under various conditions. The distribution of curcumin in pig skin in vitro was assessed using permeability assays and visualized by confocal microscopy. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, applying PT or ST under different conditions. The cytotoxicity of the formulation was evaluated using HaCaT cells.
Results and discussion: The curcumin-loaded lipid nanocarriers had a size of 63 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.202, a zeta potential of -41 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency > 95%. The properties of curcumin were enhanced by the lipid nanocarrier formulation, including stability, antioxidant activity, and skin-penetrating capacity. The antimicrobial activity of the formulation against the two strains was very low when combined with PT (< 12%), whereas ST achieved complete inhibition of P. aeruginosa. HaCaT viability was unaffected by the formulation or light.
Conclusions: The proposed formulation may be a promising alternative for improving curcumin properties, preserving its stability, and enhancing its antimicrobial activity, particularly when combined with ST.
Graphical Abstract:
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9.
Related
- Adjunctive Strategies to Enhance Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in Oral Infections: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
- Antimicrobial Effect of Potassium Iodide Combined with Methylene Blue-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Cultured Subgingival Plaque-Derived Polymicrobial Suspensions.
- Introducing 2-Thioxocoumarins as a New Class of Photosensitizers for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy
- Phthalocyanine photosensitizers in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as a multifunctional strategy for combating antimicrobial resistance.
- Immediate and residual antimicrobial effects of adjunctive photodynamic therapy on
BibTeX
@article{molinaalejandre2026evaluating,
title = {{Evaluating the Antimicrobial Activity of Curcumin-loaded Lipid Nanocarriers When Applying Photodynamic and Sonodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of Skin Infections}},
author = {Omar Molina-Alejandre and Angélica Villanueva-Martínez and María Guadalupe Nava-Arzaluz and Laura Abril Pérez-Carranza and Andrea Becerril-Osnaya and Gonzalo Hedain López-Mera and Raúl Dalí Cruz-Morales and Alma Alejandra Luna-Gómez and Doris Cerecedo and Ivette Martínez-Vieyra and María Andrea Trejo-Márquez and Selene Pascual-Bustamante and Yolanda I. Chirino and Octavio Ispanixtlahuatl-Meraz and Adriana Ganem-Rondero},
journal = {Pharmaceutical Research},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Evaluating the Antimicrobial Activity of Curcumin-loaded Lipid Nanocarriers When Applying Photodynamic and Sonodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of Skin Infections
AU - Omar Molina-Alejandre
AU - Angélica Villanueva-Martínez
AU - María Guadalupe Nava-Arzaluz
AU - Laura Abril Pérez-Carranza
AU - Andrea Becerril-Osnaya
AU - Gonzalo Hedain López-Mera
AU - Raúl Dalí Cruz-Morales
AU - Alma Alejandra Luna-Gómez
AU - Doris Cerecedo
AU - Ivette Martínez-Vieyra
AU - María Andrea Trejo-Márquez
AU - Selene Pascual-Bustamante
AU - Yolanda I. Chirino
AU - Octavio Ispanixtlahuatl-Meraz
AU - Adriana Ganem-Rondero
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Pharmaceutical Research
DO - 10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9
AB - Purpose: The antimicrobial activity of curcumin is the focus of this article, which sought to enhance it by formulating curcumin in lipid nanocarriers, and by applying Sonodynamic Therapy (ST) and Photodynamic Therapy (PT). Methodology: Curcumin-loaded lipid nanocarriers were formulated and characterized for size, zeta potential, morphology, FTIR, and DSC. The performance of the formulation was evaluated using antioxidant activity assays, in vitro release assays, occlusion assays, and stability assays under various conditions. The distribution of curcumin in pig skin in vitro was assessed using permeability assays and visualized by confocal microscopy. The antimicrobial activity was assessed against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, applying PT or ST under different conditions. The cytotoxicity of the formulation was evaluated using HaCaT cells. Results and discussion: The curcumin-loaded lipid nanocarriers had a size of 63 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.202, a zeta potential of -41 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency > 95%. The properties of curcumin were enhanced by the lipid nanocarrier formulation, including stability, antioxidant activity, and skin-penetrating capacity. The antimicrobial activity of the formulation against the two strains was very low when combined with PT (< 12%), whereas ST achieved complete inhibition of P. aeruginosa. HaCaT viability was unaffected by the formulation or light. Conclusions: The proposed formulation may be a promising alternative for improving curcumin properties, preserving its stability, and enhancing its antimicrobial activity, particularly when combined with ST. Graphical Abstract: Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11095-026-04138-9.
SN - 0724-8741
SN - 1573-904X
ER -