Lauric acid and tea tree oil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles: Physicochemical characterisation and antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) have demonstrated their potential as an alternative drug delivery system owing to their several advantages, including enhanced stability, controlled release, and improved bioavailability of therapeutic agents. Moreover, SLNs are biocompatible and biodegradable, making them suitable for various biomedical applications, particularly in the context of wound healing. Additionally, SLNs are adept at efficiently accommodating lipophilic and hydrophobic drug molecules, along with natural active ingredients such as tea tree oil and lauric acid. The present study was conducted to formulate, characterise, and determine the antibacterial effect of the lauric acid and tea tree oil-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles as effective agents for diabetic wound healing. As part of our study, we performed the following characterisation: zeta potential and size, HR-TEM, XRD, and FTIR to determine the surface charge, elementary composition, and morphology, while the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacterial cells were used to evaluate the susceptibility of the bacterial cells against the LT-SLN formulation. According to the obtained results, the formulated SLNs and LT-SLNs displayed a size range of 239.58 ± 7.96–344.7 ± 16.13 nm and a surface charge range of −17.8 ± 3.91 to −13.1 ± 3.54 mV. In addition, the HR-TEM and XRD confirmed the spherical morphology and uniform crystalline nature of the LT-SLNs. Moreover, the LT-SLNs demonstrated antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In summary, the formulated LT-SLNs displayed good anti-bacterial and physicochemical properties. Therefore, it is recommended to assess the potential of LT-SLNs through in vitro diabetic wound healing studies.