An advanced nanocarrier‐based drug delivery approach utilizing vancomycin‐loaded cerium oxide nanoparticles with dual antibiotic and anti‐inflammatory activities for the management of pulmonary‐associated sepsis

Abstract Pulmonary sepsis remains a major clinical challenge, requiring innovative therapeutic approaches for treating lung infection and inflammation. In this work, vancomycin‐loaded cerium oxide nanoparticles (V‐CeO 2 NPs) were fabricated and their potential for antimicrobial applications was analyzed. The physicochemical properties of V‐CeO 2 NPs were confirmed by the formation of well‐distributed cubic NPs. The in vitro analysis shows the efficiency of the drug by antibacterial activity and anti‐biofilm assay. The V‐CeO 2 NPs show strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli , with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 40 and 50 μg/mL, respectively. Cytoprotective efficacy was analyzed by inducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and flow cytometry assays. In addition, in vivo studies in an LPS‐induced septic animal model confirm significant effects, largely attributed to modulation of inflammatory mediators. Overall, these findings suggest that the therapeutic potential of V‐CeO 2 NPs represents a promising strategy for the treatment of pulmonary sepsis.