Meroterpenoids and Fucoxanthin from the Brown Seaweed Sargassum incisifolium: Solid Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery, Physicochemical Characterization, and Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract

Marine macroalgae are a rich source of bioactive natural products, although the application of many lipophilic compounds is limited by poor aqueous solubility and instability. This study investigated metabolites isolated from the South African brown seaweed Sargassum incisifolium and evaluated a solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) system to improve their physicochemical properties and enable bioactivity studies. Five metabolites, including one previously unreported derivative and four known metabolites (including fucoxanthin), were isolated and characterized using standard chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. SLNs composed of stearic acid and Poloxamer 188 were prepared via hot homogenization and characterized using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and NMR, which confirmed the efficient encapsulation of the lipophilic compounds. Antimicrobial activity against clinically relevant bacterial and fungal pathogens was evaluated using a resazurin-based microdilution assay, with results expressed as percentage growth relative to untreated controls. The pure compounds exhibited moderate, concentration-dependent activity, while the SLN formulations improved dispersibility, and in several cases, reduced % growth or produced more consistent responses, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria and Candida auris. Although activity remained lower than that of conventional antimicrobials, these findings demonstrate that SLN-based delivery enables functional evaluation of hydrophobic marine metabolites and supports further development of Sargassum-derived natural products.