Niosomal-Based Drug Delivery Platforms: A Promising Therapeutic Approach to Fight Staphylococcus aureus Drug Resistance

Abstract

Staphylococcus aureus, a prominent bacterial pathogen, presents formidable medical challenges owing to its rapid development of resistance. The emergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) S. aureus strains has become a pressing concern for healthcare systems, driving researchers to explore novel therapeutic strategies for managing infections associated with this pathogen. In this pursuit, niosomal-based platforms have emerged as promising candidates to effectively target S. aureus and fight conventional antimicrobial resistance. Niosomes comprise a bilayer membrane formed by nonionic surfactants, which can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. These nanoparticles are known as vesicular delivery systems and have many advantages, such as low cost, less toxicity, and more flexibility and stability. Moreover, niosomes, being an effective drug delivery system, can directly interact with the bacterial cell envelope, thereby enhancing the pharmacokinetic activities of drugs at infected sites. A niosome-based delivery system can effectively treat S. aureus infections by destroying the biofilm community, increasing intracellular targeting, and enhancing the antibacterial activity. The main mechanisms of action of niosomes against resistant S. aureus strains involve the ability to resist enzymatic degradation, controlled release profile, and targeted drug delivery, which can provide an effective dosage of antimicrobial agents at the site of actions. In addition, niosomes have the potential to transfer wide-spectrum materials from different classes of antibiotics to nonantibiotic antimicrobial agents, such as natural compounds, antimicrobial peptides, and metallic nanoparticles. The combination of polymeric materials in the structure of a niosomal formulation could improve their bioavailability, loading capacity, and therapeutic efficacy for different applications. Furthermore, niosomes could find application in photodynamic therapy, offering a promising alternative to conventional treatments for eradicating drug-resistant S. aureus isolates. Finally, niosomal nanocarriers can be developed for delivering the drugs to desired sites by different routes of administration and could be considered a powerful strategy for overcoming the therapeutic obstacles caused by MDR S. aureus.