Optimization and Characterization of Aspirin- and Ibuprofen-Loaded Lipid-Based Nanoparticle Synthesis for Antibacterial Activity and Cytotoxic Effect

Abstract

Lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) are favored for drug delivery because of their low toxicity, high biocompatibility, ability to self-assemble into nanoparticles, and ability to enhance drug bioavailability, thereby improving drug release modulation and pharmacokinetics. In this study, the regional palm fruit extract and thyme oil were used as an oil source for the synthesis of LNPs with/without drugs. The Design Expert statistical software program, Central Composite Design (CCD) method was used to optimize the effect of drug:lipid ratio (1:3-1:7), drug type (ibuprofen or aspirin) and incubation time (5-15 min) on encapsulation efficiency (EE%), and antibacterial activity. The maximum EE% of 94% was achieved using ibuprofen at a drug:lipid ratio of 1:7 with a 5-min incubation time. Physicochemical characterization showed the inclusion of both aspirin and ibuprofen imparted a strong negative charge (up to -15 mV) and yielded average sizes ranging from 180 to 560 nm. Furthermore, ibuprofen- and aspirin-loaded LNPs exhibited promising cytotoxic effects on the hepatocarcinoma cell line (Huh7), showing 50% and 70% viability at a concentration of 50 mu M, respectively. Ultimately, the demonstrated efficacy of palmitic acid-incorporated LNP formulations suggests a significant potential for these optimized carriers to improve the therapeutic efficacy of antitumor drugs in clinical applications.