---
title: "Niosomal cefoxitin improves antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Gram-negative and Gram-"
id: "pubmed-42920050"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42920050"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Infectious Disease"
source_name: "PubMed / NCBI"
source_url: "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/"
doi: "10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2"
published_at: "2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Journal Article"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# Niosomal cefoxitin improves antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against Gram-negative and Gram-
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42920050
- **Specialty:** [Infectious Disease](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/infectious-disease.md)
- **Primary Source:** PubMed / NCBI
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/)
- **DOI:** [10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10123-026-00912-2)
- **Published At:** 2026-10-24T00:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Journal Article
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- Investigators encapsulated **cefoxitin** within **niosomes** using a thin-layer hydration technique and characterized vesicles by DLS, SEM, and FTIR. - The synthesized niosomes were spherical with an average diameter of 142.3 nm, per the reported measurements. - Drug-release testing indicated 62.69% of cefoxitin released from niosomes over 72 hours; free cefoxitin showed near-complete release in the same timeframe. - Antibacterial activity was compared between free cefoxitin and niosomal cefoxitin using microdilution assays against Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. - Biofilm inhibition was assessed with microtiter plate assays; niosomal cefoxitin reduced biofilm formation more effectively than free drug across both Gram-negative and Gram-positive species tested. - Time-kill kinetics over 72 hours demonstrated that niosomal cefoxitin reduced bacterial viability at all measured time points. - The abstract did not report in vivo testing, specific niosome composition ratios, encapsulation efficiency percentages, nor clinical dosing regimens; those methodological details were not provided in the source abstract. - Authors declared no competing interests in the conflict-of-interest statement.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
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Online ahead of print. # Niosomal delivery of cefoxitin enhances antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria [Masoud Faraji](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Faraji+M&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 1 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#full-view-affiliation-1 "Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.")[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#full-view-affiliation-2 "Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran."), [Saeedeh Keyvani-Ghamsari](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Keyvani-Ghamsari+S&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 3 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#full-view-affiliation-3 "Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. M203203@iau.ir."), [Amir Mirzaie](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mirzaie+A&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#full-view-affiliation-2 "Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran.") Affiliations Expand ### Affiliations * 1 Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. * 2 Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran. * 3 Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. M203203@iau.ir. * PMID: **42920050** * DOI: [ 10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2 ](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2) Item in Clipboard # Niosomal delivery of cefoxitin enhances antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria Masoud Faraji et al. Int Microbiol. 2026. Show details Display options Display options Format Abstract PubMed PMID Int Microbiol Actions * [ Search in PubMed ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=%22Int+Microbiol%22%5Bjour%5D&sort=date&sort_order=desc) * [ Search in NLM Catalog ](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog?term=%22Int+Microbiol%22%5BTitle+Abbreviation%5D) * [ Add to Search ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/) . 2026 Oct 24. doi: 10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2. Online ahead of print. ### Authors [Masoud Faraji](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Faraji+M&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 1 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#short-view-affiliation-1 "Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran.")[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#short-view-affiliation-2 "Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran."), [Saeedeh Keyvani-Ghamsari](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Keyvani-Ghamsari+S&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 3 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#short-view-affiliation-3 "Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. M203203@iau.ir."), [Amir Mirzaie](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Mirzaie+A&cauthor_id=42920050)[ 2 ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/#short-view-affiliation-2 "Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran.") ### Affiliations * 1 Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. * 2 Department of Biology, Pa.C., Islamic Azad University, Parand, Iran. * 3 Department of Microbiology, Ka.C., Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran. M203203@iau.ir. * PMID: **42920050** * DOI: [ 10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2 ](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10123-026-00912-2) Item in Clipboard Cite Display options Display options Format Abstract PubMed PMID Linked Discoveries ## Abstract The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is a serious threat to human health. Biofilm formation and limited antibiotic penetration reduce the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics, highlighting the need for more effective drug-delivery strategies. Niosomes, as promising vesicular drug delivery systems, have shown potential to enhance antibiotic efficacy. This study aimed to encapsulate cefoxitin in niosomes and evaluate its antibacterial effect against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes. Cefoxitin-loaded niosomes were prepared by thin-layer hydration. Physicochemical properties were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The antibacterial and anti-biofilm activities of free cefoxitin and cefoxitin-loaded niosomes were investigated using microdilution and microtiter plate assays, respectively. Time-kill kinetics were further performed to evaluate bacterial killing kinetics. The findings showed the synthesized niosomes were spherical with a size of 142.3 nm. The release of cefoxitin from niosomes was 62.69% during 72 h, while nearly complete release of free cefoxitin occurred within the same period. Notably, antibacterial investigations revealed that although free cefoxitin showed little effect on Gram-negative bacteria at the concentrations studied, niosomal cefoxitin significantly inhibited their bacterial growth and biofilm formation. Additionally, niosomal cefoxitin enhanced antibacterial and antibiofilm activity compared with free cefoxitin against Gram-positive bacteria. The 72-h time-kill assay showed that niosomal cefoxitin reduced bacterial viability at all time points. The results demonstrate that niosomal delivery enhances the antibacterial activity of cefoxitin and improves its effectiveness against biofilm-forming bacteria. **Keywords:** Antimicrobial resistance; Biofilm; Cefoxitin; Gram-negative bacteria; Gram-positive bacteria; Niosomes. © 2026. The Author(s). [PubMed Disclaimer](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/) ## Conflict of interest statement Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. ## References 1. 1. Al-Kharousi, Zahra S, Nejib Guizani, Abdullah M, Al-Sadi, Ismail M, Al-Bulushi (2019) Antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from fresh fruits and vegetables and characterization of their AmpC β-lactamases. J Food Prot 82:1857–1863 - [DOI](https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028x.jfp-19-089) - [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31609646/) 2. 1. Alafnan A, Rizvi SMD, Alshammari AS, Faiyaz SSM, Lila ASA, Ahmed A, Katamesh A, El-Sayed K, Alotaibi HF, Ahmed ABF (2022) Gold nanoparticle-based resuscitation of cefoxitin against clinical pathogens: a nano-antibiotic strategy to overcome resistance. Nanomaterials 12:3643 - [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203643) - [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36296833/) - [PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/9608365/) 3. 1. Almatroudi A (2025) Biofilm resilience: molecular mechanisms driving antibiotic resistance in clinical contexts. Biology 14:165 - [DOI](https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14020165) - [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40001933/) - [PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/11852148/) 4. 1. Ashkezari S, Falsafi S, Mohebbi S, Mirzaie A, Niri Neda Mousavi (2023) Formulation and preparation of naproxen loaded nanoniosomes: evaluation of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects on clinical strains of Staphylococcus aureus and analysis of biofilm gene expression. An Experimental Study 5. 1. Barani M, Paknia F, Roostaee M, Kavyani B, Kalantar-Neyestanaki D, Ajalli N, Amirbeigi A (2023) Niosome as an effective nanoscale solution for the treatment of microbial infections. Biomed Res Int 2023:9933283 - [DOI](https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/9933283) - [PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37621700/) - [PMC](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/10447041/) Show all 45 references [x] Cite Copy Download .nbib .nbib Format: AMA APA MLA NLM **Send To** * [Clipboard](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/) * [Email](https://account.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F42920050%2F%23open-email-panel) * [Save](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/) * [My Bibliography](https://account.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F42920050%2F%23open-bibliography-panel) * [Collections](https://account.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?back_url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2F42920050%2F%23open-collections-panel) * [Citation Manager](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42920050/) [x] NCBI Literature Resources [MeSH](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/) [PMC](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/) [Bookshelf](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books) [Disclaimer](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/disclaimer/) The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). 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