Comparative efficacy of chloramphenicol loaded chondroitin sulfate and dextran sulfate nanoparticles to treat intracellular Salmonella infections

Salmonella Paratyphi A is a food-borne Gram-negative pathogen and a major public health challenge in the developing world. Upon reaching the intestine, S. Paratyphi A penetrates the intestinal epithelial barrier; and infects phagocytes such as macrophages and dendritic cells. S. Paratyphi A surviving within macrophages is protected from the lethal action of antibiotics due to their poor penetration into the intracellular compartments. Hence we have developed chloramphenicol loaded chondroitin sulfate (CS-Cm Nps) and dextran sulfate (DS-Cm Nps) nanoparticles through ionotropic-gelation method for the intracellular delivery of chloramphenicol. The size of these nanoparticles ranged between 100 and 200 nm in diameter. The encapsulation efficiency of both the nanoparticles was found to be around 65%. Both the nanoparticles are found to be non-hemolytic and non-toxic to fibroblast and epithelial cells. The prepared nanoparticles exhibited sustained release of the drug of up to 40% at pH 5 and 20-25% at pH 7.0 after 168 h. The anti-microbial activities of both nanoparticles were tested under in vitro and ex vivo conditions. The delivery of DS-Cm Nps into the intracellular compartments of the macrophages was 4 fold more compared to the CS-Cm Nps which lead to the enhanced intracellular antimicrobial activity of Ds-Cm Nps. Enhanced anti-microbial activity of Ds-Cm Nps was further confirmed in an ex vivo chicken intestine infection model. Our results showed that Cm loaded DS Nps can be used to treat intracellular Salmonella infections.