Development And Evaluation Of Metronidazole Benzoate Loaded Lipomeric Nanoparticles (LPHNP's) For The Treatment Of Colon Bacterial Infection

The colon is a critical site for bacterial infections, including conditions like colitis, enteritis, and pseudomembranous colitis often caused by anaerobic and facultative bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridioides difficile and Escherichia coli. Conventional oral delivery of antimicrobials like Metronidazole benzoate is often limited by premature drug release, systemic side effects, and reduced efficacy at the infection site. Metronidazole benzoate(MET) is a novel potent and broad spectrum nitroimidazole group of antibiotics effective against both Gram- positive and negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. The present study formulates a lipid polymeric hybrid nanoparticles for antibacterial Metronidazole benzoate (MET) agent with Stearic acid (lipid ),Chitosan (polymer) and Pluronic F127 to improve controlled release of the drug by single- emulsion -solvent evaporation technique. Optimization was performed via 32 Factorial design with mean particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of optimized MET loaded LPHNPs (F1-F9) were measured in the range of 299- 368 nm and 0.215-0.269, respectively. The drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%) and loading capacity of MET loaded LPHNPs were measured in the range of 64.9-80.4% and 3.8-27.45%, respectively. Nanoparticles produced was capable of achieving 24-h controlled release in vitro on gastric and intestinal environments. Minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) values of the MET loaded LPHNPs (F5) appeared typically to be four fold lower than those of Metronidazole benzoate in the case of Gram -negative strains and was 2-4fold more potent than those of Metronidazole benzoate against Gram positive strains of bacteria. These results concluded that the newly optimized MET loaded LPHNPs were more potent against Gram-positive strains of bacteria as compared to Gram-negative bacteria. Research studies suggest the promising use of MET-LPHNPs as an effective therapeutic agent for Colon Bacterial Infection.