Nano Cellulose Gel Formulation Containing Niosomal Encapsulated Novel Serratiopeptidase With Enhanced Anti‐Biofilm Activity

ABSTRACT Proteases are an important group of enzymes that can be helpful in biological debridement of chronic wounds. Serratiopeptidase (STP) is an extracellular metalloprotease with anti‐inflammatory, anti‐biofilm, and anti‐edema activity which offers high potency to speed up the healing process of infectious chronic wounds. In the present study, the engineered STP with enhanced activity, stability, and anti‐biofilm activity was produced, and the nanocellulose gel containing a niosomal formulation of the enzyme was developed. For this purpose, the engineered STP was expressed and then purified using metal affinity chromatography. Then, an optimum formulation of STP‐loaded niosome was predicted using a three‐level Box–Behnken design—in terms of dimension and drug loading efficiency. Niosomal STP was developed based on optimized formulation, and the desired nanostructure was prepared by the thin layer hydration method. Nanocellulose gel containing niosomal STP was developed, and the anti‐biofilm effect of the different formulations was examined on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The niosomal STP was characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The anti‐biofilm activity of different nano formulations of STP on S. aureus was slightly higher than that on P. aeruginosa , which was calculated at 53.38% and 52.29%, respectively. Altogether, it was concluded that the nanocellulose gel containing STP‐loaded niosomes could be a potential candidate as a wound dressing agent due to its proteolytic and anti‐biofilm activities.