Iman Akbarzadeh - Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Saeedeh Ahmadi - Department of Biophysics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Haleh Bakhshandeh - Department of Nanobiotechnology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

Background and Aim:Simvastatin is known as an anti-hyperlipidemic drug and is a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-COA) reductase inhibitor. The inhibition of HMG-COA reductase imposes other effects other than lipid lowering such as antibacterial properties. Due to rise of bacterial resistance to traditional antibiotics introducing new drug and delivery systems is really important to control of infection specially wound infections. Niosomes are a special type of vesicular drug delivery system based on non-ionic and cholesterol surfactants which create microscopic lamellar structures.Methods:In this study, the chitosan gel-embedded simvastatin niosomes was prepared and Its antimicrobial effects (MIC) in comparison with free drug were investigated on two effective bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in wound infection.Results:It was revealed that simvastatin solution and niosomal-gel formulation of simvastatin have inhibitory effects at 31.5 mg/ml and 15.25 concentrations respectively on Staphylococcus aureus growth, while drug concentrations in niosomal formulation has no inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus growth. results showed that simvastatin has no inhibitory effects on gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) growth.Conclusion:Based on the results, it can be concluded that chitosan gel-embedded simvastatin niosomes has significant inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus in comparison with simvastatin solution and therefore has a more effective effect in controlling wound infections.

simvastatin; Niosome; Staphylococcus aureus ; Pseudomonas aeruginosa