Optimizing Transfersome Delivery of Single-Aged Garlic Extract: A Comparative Study of Characterization, Phytochemical Content, and Antibacterial Potency
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48048/tis.2026.12818Keywords:
Transfersome, Single Aged Garlic, Characterization, Phytochemical Content, Antibacterial Potency, Antibacterial potency, Characterization, Phytochemical content, Single-aged garlic, TransfersomeAbstract
Skin infections remain a significant global health concern, particularly with the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Single-aged garlic (SAG), a fermented form of Allium sativum, possesses enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial properties due to its enriched phenolic and flavonoid content. This study aimed to optimize and characterize the transfersome-based delivery system of SAG extract (T-SAG), and to evaluate its physicochemical properties, phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial potency. SAG was produced through controlled thermal incubation followed by microwave-assisted extraction, and subsequently formulated into transfersomes using the thin-film hydration method with phosphatidylcholine and sodium deoxycholate as an edge activator. The formulation was characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, morphology, chemical compatibility, and storage stability. The optimized transfersome formulation exhibited nanosized vesicles (81.03 ± 0.47 nm) with a low PDI (0.14 ± 0.008), a zeta potential of −17.93 ± 0.31 mV, and high encapsulation efficiency (77.04 ± 6.62%). Transmission electron microscopy revealed well-defined spherical vesicles with uniform size distribution, while scanning electron microscopy confirmed smooth surface morphology and structural integrity. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated no significant chemical interactions between SAG and lipid components, confirming successful encapsulation. Stability studies conducted over 28 days at 4 °C demonstrated minimal changes in particle size and zeta potential. Phytochemical analysis showed total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 62.19 ± 1.07 mg GAE/g and 63.15 ± 0.38 mg QE/g, respectively, accompanied by strong antioxidant activity (77.74 ± 2.88% DPPH inhibition). Antibacterial activity, evaluated using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, demonstrated notable inhibitory effects, particularly against E. coli (8.19 ± 1.34 mm), with chloramphenicol used as a positive control. These findings indicate that transfersome-based delivery enhances the stability and bioactivity of SAG extract, supporting its potential application as a natural topical antimicrobial formulation.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Optimized SAG transfersomes yielded uniform nanoscale vesicles.
- High encapsulation efficiency supported effective SAG loading.
- SAG phytochemicals enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial performance.
- Vesicle physicochemical stability was maintained over 28 days at 4 °C.
- SAG transfersomes exhibited significant inhibitory activity against coli.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
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