Simultaneous effects of cold atmospheric plasma and nanocarrier containing Serrapeptidase on bacterial biofilm removing

Abstract

Microbial infection is a complex problem in wound healing due to inducing antibiotic resistance by blocking nutrients, oxygen, and pharmaceuticals, defined as biofilm. Serratiopeptidase is an enzyme type that can enhance antibiotic effectiveness by disrupting biofilm structure. Nanoparticles are emerging as a drug delivery system for proteins like hyaluronic acid (HA), which promotes skin regeneration. The current study aimed to characterize an HA nanogel containing Serrapeptidase and evaluate its anti-biofilm effect. Using a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) method, nanogels were prepared. Physicochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, and drug release rate were determined. The average size of the nanoparticles was 156.5 nm with a particle dispersion index of 0.379. The particles had a negative zeta potential of 14.14 mV. In the SEM micrographs, the nanoparticles appeared spherical with a smooth surface, and their average size closely matches the size obtained through light diffraction. The encapsulation efficiency was calculated to be 89.66% ± 1.57. The drug release from the nanocarrier over a 72-h period was lower compared to the release from the drug solution (74.86% vs. 98.39%). Importantly, the simultaneous effects of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) and nanogel indicated the emerging effectiveness in removing Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. These findings highlight the potential of this system for antibiofilm applications in wound healing.