title: Nanocapsules loaded with iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin have antimicrobial therapeutic potential and maintain calcium, zinc and iron metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the potential antimicrobial efficacy of alginate gel-encapsulated ceramic nanocarriers loaded with iron-saturated bovine lactoferrin (Fe-bLf) nanocarriers/nanocapsules (AEC-CP-Fe-bLf NCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The antimicrobial activities of non-nanoformulated apo (iron free), Fe-bLf and native forms of Australian bLf against pathogenic Salmonella typhimurium (wild strain) were studied in vitro. The efficacy of AEC-CP-Fe-bLf NCs were checked in vivo using Balb/c mice model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study revealed that native bLf is more effective in combating infection than the conventional drug ciprofloxacin (0.4 mg/ml). The efficacy of the drug was also revealed in vivo when BALB/c mice that, after being challenged with S. typhimurium (200 μl of 10(8) CFU/ml suspension), were fed orally with a nanoformulated bLf diet and the infection was observed to be eliminated. However, chronic infection developed in the group of infected mice that did not receive any drug treatment, as well as the mice treated with ciprofloxacin. The immune response to bacterial infection and to various drug treatments thereafter was studied in the mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study concludes that bLf and nanoformulated Fe-bLf are more effective in the treatment of Salmonella-infected mice than ciprofloxacin.
authors.affiliation: Nanomedicine-Laboratory of Immunology & Molecular Biomedical Research (NLIMBR), Molecular & Medical Research (MMR) Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine (SoM), Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3217, Australia.
authors.forename: Isha
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sehgal
authors.forename: Rupinder K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Kanwar
authors.forename: Vasu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Punj
authors.forename: Jagat R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kanwar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053769:Nanocapsules / Q000737:chemistry; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects*; D015032:Zinc / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D053769:Nanocapsules; D007501:Iron; D007781:Lactoferrin; D015032:Zinc; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Salmonella typhimurium infected; lactoferrin; miRNA; oral nanodelivery; targeted nanodelivery