Enhanced antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of <i>Artemisia aucheri</i> Boiss. extract-loaded niosomes against clinical MRSA isolates

<p>To develop and characterize niosomes encapsulating ethanolic <i>Artemisia aucheri</i> extract (Nio-Artemisia) and evaluate their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against clinical methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) isolates.</p> <p>Niosomes were prepared by thin-film hydration and optimized based on particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and encapsulation efficiency (EE). Stability and <i>in vitro</i> release were evaluated.

Clinical <i>S. aureus</i> isolates were identified using standard microbiological methods, and antibacterial activity was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and growth kinetics. Antibiofilm activity and expression of <i>icaA</i> and <i>icaB</i> were evaluated using the crystal violet assay and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively.</p> <p>The optimized formulation had a particle size of 230.2 ± 9.1 nm, PDI of 0.191 ± 0.020, and EE of 72.39 ± 1.45%.