Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Dermaseptin through Its Immobilization on Alginate Nanoparticles-Effects of Menthol and Lactic Acid on Its Potentialization

• Main Authors: Noura Hazime (Author), Yanath Belguesmia (Author), Alexandre Barras (Author), Mohamed Amiche (Author), Rabah Boukherroub (Author), Djamel Drider (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antibiotics11060787; 2079-6382
• Keywords: dermaseptin; DRS-B2; alginate nanoparticles; menthol; lactic acid; synergy; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antibiotics, Vol 11, Iss 6, p 787 (2022)

Dermaseptin B2 (DRS-B2) is an antimicrobial peptide secreted by <i>Phyllomedusa bicolor</i>, which is an Amazonian tree frog. Here, we show that the adsorption of DRS-B2 on alginate nanoparticles (Alg NPs) results in a formulation (Alg NPs + DRS-B2) with a remarkable antibacterial activity against <i>Escherichia coli</i> ATCC 8739 and <i>E. coli</i> 184 strains, which are sensitive and resistant, respectively, to colistin. The antibacterial activity, obtained with this new formulation, is higher than that obtained with DRS-B2 alone. Of note, the addition of lactic acid or menthol to this new formulation augments its antibacterial activity against the aforementioned Gram-negative bacilli. The safety of DRS-B2, and also that of the new formulation supplemented or not with a small molecule such as lactic acid or menthol has been proven on the human erythrocytes and the eukaryotic cell line types HT29 (human) and IPEC-1 (animal). Similarly, their stability was determined under the conditions mimicking the gastrointestinal tract with different conditions: pH, temperature, and the presence of digestive enzymes. Based on all the obtained data, we assume that these new formulations are promising and could be suggested, after <i>in vivo</i> approval and completing regulation aspects, as alternatives to antibiotics to fight infections caused by Gram-negative bacilli such as <i>E. coli</i>.