Hyaluronate-coated novasomes as a nanoplatform for targeted delivery of Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla extract: formulation, characterization, and phytochemical profiling

Abstract Hyaluronate-coated novasomes as an eco-innovative delivery system to enhance the antimicrobial and antioxidant efficacy of Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla (BV) aerial parts extracts were developed and characterised in this study. The phytochemical profile was established using GC-MS and LC-MS/MS, along with the isolation of key biomarkers. Two novasome formulations (BV1 and BV2) were synthesized, and the optimized BV1 was subjected to comprehensive characterization, including encapsulation efficiency (EE), particle size, zeta potential, FTIR, and TEM. The biological activities were evaluated via DPPH radical scavenging and agar well assays against Staphylococcus aureus , Escherichia coli , and Candida albicans . GC-MS analysis of the dichloromethane fraction identified 15 compounds (89.64%), dominated by fatty acids: oleic acid (30.52%), palmitic acid (21.92%), and stearic acid (10.50%). LC-MS/MS analysis of the ethanolic extract revealed 33 metabolites, primarily flavonoids and phenolic acids. The isolated compounds included oleanolic acid, campesterol, isovitexin, and apigenin- O -hexoside. While the crude extract exhibited limited antimicrobial activity (effective only against C. albicans ), encapsulation within hyaluronate-coated novasomes significantly enhanced its biopotency. BV1 exhibited some inhibitory trends against all tested microorganisms, whereas BV2 was effective only against bacterial strains. Regarding radical scavenging activity, BV1 exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity (IC 50 33.4 µL/mL) than the crude extract (IC 50 55.2 µL/mL ) and BV2 (IC 50 82.6 µL/mL). The results demonstrate that hyaluronate-coated novasomes serve as a superior delivery vehicle, expanding the limited antimicrobial profile of Beta vulgaris extract and preserving its antioxidant capacity.