Formulation and evaluation of Rifampicin and Ofloxacin niosomes for Drug- resistant TB on Logarithmic-phase cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Nanotechnology has offered enormous improvement in field of therapeutics by means of designing of nanocarriers that can cross biological barriers and are able to target cellular reservoirs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tuberculosis). Niosomes are mainly consisting of non-ionic surfactants that have been found to form vesicles, capable of entrapping hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules. Niosomes of rifampicin and ofloxacin were prepared by ether injection method. A procedure is described for producing a dry product, proniosomes that may be hydrated immediately before use to yield aqueous niosome dispersions, which minimize problems of aggregation, fusion and leaking, and provide additional convenience in transportation, distribution, storage and dosing. The prepared rifampicin and ofloxacin niosomes and proniosomes showed a vesicle size in the range of 100- 300nm, the entrapment efficiency were 81.76% and 92.06% of niosomes and proniosomes respectively. The in vitro release study suggested that the action extended till 15days and all formulations followed non-Fickian anomalous diffusion that plays an important role in controlling the drug release. The bactericidal activities of the formulations were studied by BACTEC radiometric method using the resistant strains (RF 8554) and sensitive strains (H37RV) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that showed greater inhibition and reduced growth index.