Vesicular Formation of Trans-Ferulic Acid: an Efficient Approach to Improve the Radical Scavenging and Antimicrobial Properties

Purposes Reactive oxygen species production is harmful to human's health. The presence of antioxidants in the body may help to diminish reactive oxygen species. Trans-ferulic acid is a good antioxidant, but its low water solubility excludes its utilization. The study aims to explore whether a vesicular drug delivery could be a way to overcome the poor absorption of trans-ferulic acid hence improving its antimicrobial efficiency and antioxidant effect. Methods Niosomal vesicles containing the drug were prepared by film hydration method. The obtained vesicles were investigated in terms of morphology, size, entrapment efficiency, release behavior, cellular cytotoxicity, antioxidant, cellular protection study, and antimicrobial evaluations. Results The optimized niosomal formulation had a particle size of 158.7 nm and entrapment efficiency of 21.64%. The results showed that the optimized formulation containing 25 mu M of trans-ferulic acid could enhance the viability of human foreskin fibroblast HFF cell line against reactive oxygen species production. The minimum effective dose of the plain drug and the niosomal formulation against Staphylococcus aurous (ATCC 29213) was 750 mu g/mL and 375 mu g/mL, respectively, and for Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922), it was 750 mu g/mL and 187/5 mu g/mL, respectively. The formulation could also improve the minimum bactericidal concentration of the drug in Staphylococcus aurous, Escherichia coli, and Acinobacter baumannii (ATCC 19606). Conclusion These results revealed an improvement in both antibacterial and antioxidant effects of the drug in the niosomal formulation.