Therapeutic Nanoplatforms for MRSA Induced Diabetic Wound Infections: Comparative Insights into Transferosomes and Alternative Nanoparticles

Abstract

Diabetic wounds infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remain a major clinical challenge because of delayed healing, biofilm formation, impaired local immunity, and increasing antimicrobial resistance. Several nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have been investigated for topical antimicrobial therapy, including liposomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, polymeric nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, and transferosomes. Among these, transferosomes, which are ultra-deformable lipid vesicles, have received increasing attention because of their capacity to enhance topical and transdermal drug delivery. This review provides a comparative evaluation of transferosomes and alternative nanocarrier systems in the context of MRSA associated diabetic wound infections, with emphasis on delivery mechanisms, antimicrobial outcomes, biofilm related effects, wound healing responses, and translational considerations. Available preclinical evidence suggests that transferosome based formulations may improve skin penetration, drug retention, and sustained release compared with some conventional vesicular systems. Reported studies have described high encapsulation efficiency for selected lipophilic drugs, enhanced dermal deposition, and prolonged release profiles, which may support local antimicrobial activity at infected wound sites. However, the current evidence remains largely preclinical, and direct comparisons across nanocarrier systems are limited by differences in drug payload, experimental models, MRSA strains, dosing regimens, and outcome measures. Metallic nanoparticles and polymeric systems also show relevant antimicrobial and wound healing effects, particularly through antibiotic independent mechanisms, although safety and standardization remain important concerns. Therefore, transferosomes should be considered as one potentially useful nanocarrier approach rather than a definitively superior platform. Overall, the reviewed evidence indicates that transferosome based systems may contribute to improved topical delivery for MRSA infected diabetic wounds, but further standardized in vitro biofilm studies, robust in vivo diabetic wound models, comparative efficacy studies, safety evaluation, and clinical investigations are required before their therapeutic relevance can be established.