Gramicidin and chlorhexidine encapsulated in bicontinuous microemulsions: antimicrobial activity performance and their impact on self-assembly.

ABSTRACT: The utility of bicontinuous microemulsions (BMEs) as carriers of the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gramicidin D and antiseptic chlorhexidine was investigated for possible topical delivery to chronic wounds. The two water-insoluble solutes dissolved in pre-formed one-phase BMEs of Water/ Polysorbate 80/ Limonene/ Ethanol/ Glycerol and Water/ Aerosol-OT (AOT)/ Polysorbate 85/ Isopropyl Myristate and an AOT/ Polysorbate 85 Winsor-III system, achieving gramicidin and chlorhexidine concentrations of 1.0 (wt)% and 0.5% individually and 0.5% and 0.3% in mixtures at 22oC, respectively. Small-angle neutron scattering measurements demonstrated that both solutes decreased surfactant interfacial activity and increased interfacial fluidity for the Polysorbate 80 system. For the AOT/ Polysorbate systems,

SUBMITTER: Hayes DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12352547 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature