Production of a mouthwash enriched with phycocyanin extracted from Neowestiellopsis persica A1387 microencapsulated with alginate to enhance antioxidant and antibacterial properties against Streptococcus mutans

Dental plaque and bacterial infections are common oral health issues. Current mouthwashes often have side effects; therefore, incorporating microencapsulated phycocyanin into mouthwash formulations may improve antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Phycocyanin was isolated from the cyanobacterial strain Neowestiellopsis persica A1387 and microencapsulated using alginate. Three mouthwash formulations were prepared: containing microencapsulated phycocyanin, non-encapsulated phycocyanin, and a control without phycocyanin. Formulations were evaluated for organoleptic properties, antibacterial activity, pH, and stability over 90 days under refrigerated conditions (3–5 °C). Encapsulation efficiency was 95 ± 0.02%. Over 90 days, antioxidant activity increased by approximately 10% in the non-encapsulated formulation and 29% in the microencapsulated phycocyanin formulation (IC50 = 28.56 ± 0.01). MIC values decreased by approximately 80% and 85%, while MBC values were reduced by approximately 67% and 79%, respectively. The inhibition zone against Streptococcus mutans increased by approximately 17% and 20% (9.90 ± 0.10 mm, p < 0.05). TEM images revealed membrane disruption and bacterial cell death induced by microencapsulated phycocyanin. Overall, our findings demonstrate that microencapsulation significantly improves the antibacterial and antioxidant performance of phycocyanin. Mouthwashes containing this bioactive compound could serve as an effective and natural alternative to commercially available products.