Cytotoxicity and anti-biofilm activities of biogenic cadmium nanoparticles and cadmium nitrate: a preliminary study

Abstract

Cadmium nanoparticles (Cd NPs) were prepared using Artemisia persica extract and microwave irradiation in this research. Cd NPs and Cd (NO 3 ) 2 were evaluated for their cytotoxicity, antibacterial, antibio lm, and biocompatibility. It was found that Cd NPs (11.2-18.6 nm) had a lower cytotoxic effect than Cd (NO 3 ) 2 against both HepG2 and HUVEC cells. The antibacterial activity of Cd NPs against clinically isolated Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was above 2560 μg mL -1 . The Cd NPs (640 μg mL -1 ) decreased the bio lm formation by S. aureus, P. mirabilis, and P. aeruginosa to 24.6%, 31.6%, and 26.4%, respectively. Adding Cd NPs (100 μg/disc) to commercial antibiotic discs increased the antibacterial activity of vancomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, streptomycin, meropenem, and kanamycin against Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, signi cantly. The Cd NPs (640 μg mL -1 ) exhibited low hemolysis activity. More research should be conducted to understand the related cytotoxicity and antibacterial mechanisms of Cd NPs.