Mechanism of Action: How Nano-Antimicrobials Act?

Abstract

Escalating resistance to almost every class of antibiotics is reducing the utility of currently available antimicrobial drugs. A part of this menace is attributed to poor pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug. Improvement in drug delivery is the most challenging task encountered by the pharmaceutical industries; however nanotechnology can bring a revolution in drug delivery design. Nano-antimicrobials (NAMs) have their own intrinsic antimicrobial activity (nanoparticles) or augment overall efficacy of enclosed antibiotics (nano-carriers), thus contribute in mitigating or reversing the resistance phenomenon. Nano-particles (NPs) having their own intrinsic antimicrobial activity kill microbes by mimicking natural course of killing by phagocytic cells i.e., by producing large quantity of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS). It is believed that NPs kill microbes by simultaneously acting on many essential life processes or metabolic routes of microbes; that as many genetic mutations to develop resistance against them seems to be impossible. Nano carriers improve the pharmacokinetics of the enclosed drug. Moreover, one of the major techniques by which NAMs can overcome resistance is targeted drug delivery to the site of disease. In this review, a comprehensive detail about the mechanism of action of NAMs are presented in context to multi drug resistance phenomenon.

Antimicrobial properties of rosin acids-loaded nanoparticles against antibiotic-sensitive and antibiotic-resistant foodborne pathogens

“…RA and RA-NPs displayed antimicrobial activity against Gram þ bacteria, including the antibiotics-resistant strains of S. aureus. These data are in accordance with previous studies that attributed the antimicrobial activity of RA to their lipidic nature that could lead to their accumulation in the plasma membrane, thus interfering with the energy metabolism of cells, and with higher affinity to Gram þ bacteria than Grambacteria [1,[30][31][32].…”

Development of Cefotaxime Impregnated Chitosan as Nano-antibiotics: De Novo Strategy to Combat Biofilm Forming Multi-drug Resistant Pathogens

“…Albeit, various naturally occurring compounds (including plant extracts) have been investigated in this regard ( Salta et al, 2013 ). However, nano-antimicrobials (NAMs) are offering more promising future to beat MDR phenomenon ( Allaker and Memarzadeh, 2014 ; Jamil et al, 2015 ). NAMs can also overcome resistance caused by biofilm formation and can prevent biofilm’s further growth as well ( Jamil et al, 2015 ).…”

Silica Nanoparticles Effects on Blood Coagulation Proteins and Platelets

“…Using of nanoparticles as the drug carriers is extremely promising and is of interest for scientists all over the world [ 2 , 3 ]. Nanoparticles can be designed as bacteriostatic agents as well [ 4 ]. Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have been shown as a promising alternative for biomedical applications [ 5 ] as a novel delivery in tumor research vector or tumor-targeting agent [ 6 , 7 ], and as the carriers of anticancer drugs [ 8 , 9 ].…”