levofloxacin

Overview

Levofloxacin is a broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone antibiotic used in therapy for susceptible bacterial infections. As the active levo isomer of ofloxacin, it inhibits bacterial DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, thereby blocking DNA replication and transcription and leading to bactericidal activity. Clinically, it is valued for its activity against a range of Gram-negative and some Gram-positive organisms, and it is used in both systemic and localized formulations depending on the infection site.

In biomedical research, levofloxacin is frequently studied not only as an antimicrobial agent but also as a comparator or component of combination therapies, especially in settings where biofilm-associated infection, ocular disease, or wound infection complicate treatment. Recent studies have explored its delivery in nanostructured lipid carrier systems, hydrogel-based formulations, and combination regimens with agents such as ibuprofen and clove essential oil to improve local efficacy against resistant or biofilm-forming pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus.

Focus of Latest Publications

Recent investigations of levofloxacin have focused on advancing its therapeutic delivery and efficacy across multiple infection contexts. Studies have explored innovative formulation strategies and combination approaches designed to overcome treatment limitations associated with conventional antibiotic delivery, particularly for biofilm-associated infections and ocular surface diseases.

One approach examined levofloxacin within nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) systems combined with clove essential oil for treating burn wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. This combination demonstrated strong antibiofilm activity in vitro and in vivo, with the nanoparticles successfully infiltrating biofilm matrices and achieving complete bacterial clearance within seven days, accompanied by significant improvements in wound closure and collagen deposition. In a separate context exploring formulation science, levofloxacin was evaluated as a small-molecule nucleation inhibitor to stabilize ciprofloxacin supersaturation during gastric-to-intestinal pH transitions, sustaining approximately 37% of drug concentration and increasing bioavailability 1.65-fold compared to unaided dissolution.

For ocular infections, levofloxacin was investigated in topical formulations targeting bacterial keratitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus. When combined with ibuprofen as an eye drop preparation, the dual-agent therapy significantly reduced expression of inflammatory mediators, matrix metalloproteinases, and corneal angiogenesis while minimizing apoptosis markers, producing superior therapeutic outcomes compared to single-agent treatment. In comparative assessments, levofloxacin eye drops achieved a 77.4% antibacterial efficacy rate against bacterial keratitis, establishing its baseline performance for evaluating novel antimicrobial-immunomodulatory nanocomposites.

These investigations collectively demonstrate levofloxacin's utility both as a direct antimicrobial agent in combination therapies and as a formulation tool for enhancing delivery of related fluoroquinolones, with particular promise in addressing biofilm-related infections and chronic ocular surface diseases.

Key Publications

May Environmental risk profiling of pharmaceuticals in surface waters in a tropical agro-livestock region of Costa Rica. (Environmental monitoring and assessment, 2026, PMID 42118225): "The risk assessment identified that 10 of the 15 detected pharmaceuticals posed a moderate to high chronic risk to aquatic life; specifically, sulfathiazole, clarithromycin, caffeine, and ofloxacin were categorized as high-risk compounds (HQ > 1)."
May A multi-metric evaluation of a sustainable capillary electrophoresis method for simultaneous therapeutic drug monitoring of Nilotinib and Ofloxacin in oncology clinics. (Scientific reports, 2026, PMID 42091984): "The combination of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor nilotinib (NIL) with broad-spectrum antibiotics such as the fluoroquinolone ofloxacin (OFL) is clinically rationalized based on NIL's immunosuppressive effects and the need for infection prophylaxis in cancer patients."
Jun Biomedical publication details. (PubMed Database, 2026, PMID 42046436)
Apr An eye drop combination for treating Staphylococcus aureus-induced keratitis in rats: repurposing ibuprofen. (Scientific reports, 2026, PMID 42031955): "The current study aimed to test a combination of levofloxacin and ibuprofen for treating Staphylococcus aureus-associated keratitis, with special emphasis on the potential antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) moiety."
Jun Nanostructured lipid carrier enabled delivery of levofloxacin and clove essential oil to overcome Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm infection in burn wounds- a synergistic approach. (International journal of pharmaceutics, 2026, PMID 42002056): "The present study developed an integrated functional nanostructured lipid carrier (NLCs) combining clove essential oil (CO) and levofloxacin (LFX) as model antibiotic for localized delivery as hydrogel for treatment of burn wounds infected with P. aeruginosa biofilms."
May Simultaneous detection of tetracyclines and ofloxacin via carbon dots based ratiometric fluorescence and portable hydrogel-based visual detection of ofloxacin. (Food chemistry, 2026, PMID 41825381): "Herein, orange-red carbon dots (O-CDs) were fabricated by optimizing reaction conditions for fluorometric sensing of tetracyclines (TCs) and ofloxacin (OFx)."
May Mesoporous polydopamine loaded with silver nanoparticles and quercetin for bacterial keratitis treatment through antibacterial and anti-angiogenic mechanisms. (Biomaterials advances, 2026, PMID 41558272): "higher than Levofloxacin (LVFX) eye drops (77.4%),"