There are four major classes of antifungals with the predominant mechanism of action being targeting of cell wall or cell membrane. As in other drugs, low solubility of these compounds has led to low bioavailability in target tissues. Enhanced drug dosages have effects such as toxicity, drug–drug interactions, and increased drug resistance by fungi. This article reviews the current state‐of‐the‐art of antifungals, structure, mechanism of action, other usages, and toxic side effects. The emergence of nanoformulations to transport and uniformly release cargo at the target site is a boon in antifungal treatment. The article details research that lead to the development of nanoformulations of antifungals and potential advantages and avoidance of the lacunae characterizing conventional drugs. A range of nanoformulations based on liposomes, polymers are in various stages of research and their potential advantages have been brought out. It could be observed that under similar dosages, test models, and duration, nanoformulations provided enhanced activity, reduced toxicity, higher uptake and higher immunostimulatory effects. In most instances, the mechanism of antifungal activity of nanoformulations was similar to that of regular antifungal. There are possibilities of coupling multiple antifungals on the same nano‐platform. Increased activity coupled with multiple mechanisms of action presents for nanoformulations a tremendous opportunity to overcome antifungal resistance. In the years to come, robust methods for the preparation of nanoformulations taking into account the repeatability and reproducibility in action, furthering the studies on nanoformulation toxicity and studies of human models are required before extensive use of nanoformulations as a prescribed drug.
Introduction:
Overuse and improper dosage of antibiotics have generated antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), a well-known bacterial strain can establish MDR leading to a variety of infections in humans. Furthermore, these PA strains hold the ability to form biofilms by generating extracellular polymeric substances on the surface of medical tools and critical care units. To supersede the infectious effect of MDR organisms, silver nanoparticles have been known to be the choice.
Materials and Methods:
Hence, the present study concentrates on the engineering of varying concentrations of gelatin-based polymeric hydrogel embedded with silver nanoparticles (G-AgNPs) for controlled bactericidal activity against MDR PA biofilms. Biofilms formation by MDR PA was confirmed microscopically, and spectroscopy was taken as a tool to characterize and analyze the efficacy at every stage of experiments.
Results:
When MDR PA biofilms were treated with G-AgNPs prepared with 5 % gelatin concentration (AgNP3), they exhibited superior bactericidal activity. Furthermore, a dose-dependent study showed that 800 nM of AgNP3 could inhibit the growth of MDR PA.
Conclusion:
Hence it can be concluded that silver nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of 5% gelatin can act as a bactericidal agent in the inactivation of MDR PA biofilms, thereby controlling the infections caused by these biofilms.
Antifungals compounds have gained significant attention, and in this context, fluconazole as an antifungal is used predominantly, and the use of a nanoformulated form of this is discussed.
Fluconazole, an FDA-approved antibiotic, is an effective antimicrobial especially used to treat fungal infections. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it contains fluoride with triazole functionality. Its efficacy against various types of fungus is demonstrated.
Although it is one of the effective antibiotics, its side effects are well documented, and due to this, many techniques are tried to improve its efficacy with lesser side effects.
In this respect, nanoparticles play a crucial role, and many studies worldwide are carried out on this aspect. Among many nano techniques use of chitosan as well as lipid carriers of fluconazole are being considered. However, systematic studies are warranted to take this aspect into clinical trials.
Nano-based platforms seem to be an alternating hope to combat resistance and side effect.
A thorough study is the need of the hour to devise a proper nano-based strategy of fluconazole.
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