The publications of the members of the research group.
2025
Nicolò Mezzasalma; Costanza Spadini; Federico Righi; Marica Simoni; Gaetano Lamberti; Anna Angela Barba; Dante Greco; Alessia Merelli; Lorenzo Bosio; Alessandro Cupola; Emiliana Schiano; Simone Taddei; Clotilde Silvia Cabassi
Evaluation of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of nerolidol encapsulated in a nanoliposome system Journal Article
In: Sec. Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, vol. 12/2025, 2025.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: alternative antimicrobials, animal nutrion, liposome, livestock, plantfeedadditives, time-killassay
@article{Mezzasalma2025,
title = {Evaluation of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of nerolidol encapsulated in a nanoliposome system},
author = {Nicol\`{o} Mezzasalma and Costanza Spadini and Federico Righi and Marica Simoni and Gaetano Lamberti and Anna Angela Barba and Dante Greco and Alessia Merelli and Lorenzo Bosio and Alessandro Cupola and Emiliana Schiano and Simone Taddei and Clotilde Silvia Cabassi },
editor = {James Wabwire Oguttu},
url = {https://public-pages-files-2025.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1641746/pdf},
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2025.1641746},
year = {2025},
date = {2025-10-27},
journal = {Sec. Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology},
volume = {12/2025},
abstract = {Plant-derived compounds have emerged as potential alternatives to traditional antimicrobials in livestock; however, their application may be limited by degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Nanoliposome encapsulation offers a strategy to overcome these limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of nerolidol encapsulation, by evaluating the antimicrobial activity of free-nerolidol (NER), nerolidol-loaded nanoliposomes (LN), and unloaded nanoliposomes (UN) (Lipobox™) using a Time-Kill assay. The cytotoxicity of these formulations was assessed through MTT assay on swine and bovine cell lines. NER was effective against MRSA, Enterococcus faecium, and Lactobacillus acidophilus at all time points, at concentrations ≥62.5, ≥15.63 and ≥1,000 μg/ml, respectively, but was ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria Conversely, LN and UN were effective against all bacteria, showing the best activity at 2,500 μg/ml. LN showed the greatest activity against MRSA up to 6 h while UN on E. faecium up to 4 h (P \< 0.05). No difference between LN and UN on Salmonella Typhimurium up to 24 h and on E. coli up to 6 h at this concentration (P \> 0.05) was observed. For L. acidophilus, both LN and UN were effective up to 6 h even at the lowest concentration (9.77 μg/ml). NER showed high cytotoxicity on MDBK and IPEC-J2 cells at all doses; while LN and UN were low-toxic at concentrations ≤ 1,250 μg/ml or ≤ 625 μg/ml, respectively. These results suggest that nanoliposomes themselves exhibit dose-dependent antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity; however, when NER is encapsulated its spectrum of activity its enhanced.},
keywords = {alternative antimicrobials, animal nutrion, liposome, livestock, plantfeedadditives, time-killassay},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Plant-derived compounds have emerged as potential alternatives to traditional antimicrobials in livestock; however, their application may be limited by degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Nanoliposome encapsulation offers a strategy to overcome these limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of nerolidol encapsulation, by evaluating the antimicrobial activity of free-nerolidol (NER), nerolidol-loaded nanoliposomes (LN), and unloaded nanoliposomes (UN) (Lipobox™) using a Time-Kill assay. The cytotoxicity of these formulations was assessed through MTT assay on swine and bovine cell lines. NER was effective against MRSA, Enterococcus faecium, and Lactobacillus acidophilus at all time points, at concentrations ≥62.5, ≥15.63 and ≥1,000 μg/ml, respectively, but was ineffective against Gram-negative bacteria Conversely, LN and UN were effective against all bacteria, showing the best activity at 2,500 μg/ml. LN showed the greatest activity against MRSA up to 6 h while UN on E. faecium up to 4 h (P < 0.05). No difference between LN and UN on Salmonella Typhimurium up to 24 h and on E. coli up to 6 h at this concentration (P > 0.05) was observed. For L. acidophilus, both LN and UN were effective up to 6 h even at the lowest concentration (9.77 μg/ml). NER showed high cytotoxicity on MDBK and IPEC-J2 cells at all doses; while LN and UN were low-toxic at concentrations ≤ 1,250 μg/ml or ≤ 625 μg/ml, respectively. These results suggest that nanoliposomes themselves exhibit dose-dependent antimicrobial and cytotoxicity activity; however, when NER is encapsulated its spectrum of activity its enhanced.