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Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials

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A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Medicines".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2023) | Viewed by 42039

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. László Kőrösi

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Guest Editor

Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology, University of Pécs, 7634 Pécs, Hungary
Interests: materials science; metal oxide nanoparticles; titanium dioxide; sol-gel synthesis; hydrothermal synthesis; photocatalysis; antimicrobial nanomaterials; plant polyphenols
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid adaptation of microorganisms to conventional antibiotics requires the continuous design and production of new antimicrobial agents. This human fight against bacterial pathogens frequently leads to the selection and emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains in the community and hospital environments. Since the proportion of MDR bacterial infections is alarmingly increasing year by year, novel approaches are required to effectively handle this global healthcare problem. The effective control of pathogens is of great importance not only in the health care system but also in food safety. Several dangerous microorganisms, including some MDR strains, can contaminate the food chain and evoke foodborne diseases. The number of these cases is estimated to be 600 million per year worldwide. Thus, antimicrobial surfaces play key role for transporting or packaging foods. Besides killing the human pathogens, the inactivation of phytopathogenic microbes is also a big challenge. At present, a large amount and a wide range of chemicals are used for plant protection. Resistant phytopathogenic microbes and inefficient protection against them cause enormous economic damage.

Consequently, it is necessary to develop advanced and effective materials against both human and plant pathogens. For this purpose, nanomaterials with high antimicrobial activity may provide an alternative solution. In recent years, diverse antimicrobial nanomaterials (AMI NMs) have been explored, and they have received a great deal of attention because of their high effectiveness. One of the largest groups of AMI NMs is comprised of those able to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS produced by photoinduced processes (photocatalysis) or indirectly even without the application of light (e.g., Ag, MgO NMs) are effective tools in the inactivation of pathogens. The investigation and exploitation of these unique nanomaterials have been constantly and dynamically growing in the fields of both medicine and agriculture.

In this Special Issue, we look forward to receiving the submission of high-quality and original research works which focus on advanced ROS-based antimicrobial nanomaterials against both human and plant pathogens.

The scope includes, but is not limited to:

Chemical, physical, and “green” synthesis of AMI NMs;
Reactive oxygen species generation by AMI NMs;
Photocatalytically active metal-oxide-based AMI NMs;
Noble-metal-based AMI NMs;
Antimicrobial nanopowders, thin films, and coatings;
Nanocomposites and surface-functionalized AMI NMs;
Application of AMI NMs against human pathogens or phytopathogenic microbes;
Efficacy comparisons of potential AMI NMs.

Dr. László Kőrösi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

multidrug-resistant bacteria
foodborne pathogens
phytopathogenic microbes
antimicrobial nanopowders and coatings
nanocomposites
green synthesis
reactive oxygen species
photocatalytic disinfection
functionalized photocatalysts
noble metals.

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 2032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyhydroxy Fullerenes Enhance Antibacterial and Electrocatalytic Activity of Silver Nanoparticles

by Luis Palomino, Danae A. Chipoco Haro, Miguel Gakiya-Teruya, Feng Zhou, Adolfo La Rosa-Toro, Vijay Krishna and Juan Carlos F. Rodriguez-Reyes

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(19), 3321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12193321 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2044

Abstract

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are known and widely used for their antibacterial properties. However, the ever-increasing resistance of microorganisms compels the design of novel nanomaterials which are able to surpass their capabilities. Herein, we synthesized silver nanoparticles using, for the first time, polyhydroxy fullerene (PHF) as a reducing and capping agent, through a one-pot synthesis method. The resulting nanoparticles (PHF-AgNPs) were compared to AgNPs that were synthesized using sodium citrate (citrate-AgNPs). They were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), dynamic light scattering, and UV-visible spectroscopy. Our results showed that PHF-AgNPs have a smaller size and a narrower size distribution than citrate-AgNPs, which suggests that PHF may be a better capping agent than citrate. Antibacterial assays using E. coli showed enhanced antimicrobial activity for PHF-AgNPs compared to citrate-AgNPs. The electrocatalytic activity of nanoparticles towards oxygen evolution and reduction reaction (OER and ORR, respectively) was tested through cyclic voltammetry. Both nanoparticles are found to promote OER and ORR, but PHF-AgNPs showed a significant increase in activity with respect to citrate-AgNPs. Thus, our results demonstrate that the properties of forming nanoparticles can be tuned by choosing the appropriate reducing/capping agent. Specifically, this suggests that PHF-AgNPs can find potential applications for both catalytic and biomedical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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16 pages, 2441 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Phase-Selective Synthesis of Anatase and Rutile TiO₂ Nanocrystals and Their Impacts on Grapevine Leaves: Accumulation of Mineral Nutrients and Triggering the Plant Defense

by László Kőrösi, Balázs Bognár, Gyula Czégény and Simone Lauciello

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 483; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12030483 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2377

Abstract

Titanium dioxide nanocrystals (TiO₂ NCs), through their photocatalytic activity, are able to generate charge carriers and induce the formation of various reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the presence of O₂ and H₂O. This special feature makes TiO₂ an important and promising material in several industrial applications. Under appropriate antioxidant balancing, the presence of ROS is crucial in plant growth and development, therefore, the regulated ROS production through the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ NCs may be also exploited in the agricultural sector. However, the effects of TiO₂ NCs on plants are not fully understood and/or phase-pure TiO₂ NCs are rarely used in plant experiments. In this work, we present a phase-selective synthesis of TiO₂ NCs with anatase and rutile crystal phases. The nanomaterials obtained were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR). In field experiments, Vitis vinifera cv. Cabernet Sauvignon leaves developed under natural sunlight were treated with aqueous dispersions of TiO₂ NCs at concentrations of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 w/v%. The effect of the applied nanocrystals was characterized via leaf photochemistry, mineral nutrient contents, and pyridoxine levels. We found that stress responses of grapevine to anatase and rutile NCs treatments are different, which can be related to the different ROS profiles of the two polymorphs. Our results indicate that TiO₂ NCs may be utilized not only for direct pathogen inactivation but also for eliciting plant defense mechanisms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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23 pages, 5631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insight on Photocatalytic and Photoinduced Antimicrobial Properties of ZnO Thin Films Deposited by HiPIMS through Thermal Oxidation

by Endrika Widyastuti, Jue-Liang Hsu and Ying-Chieh Lee

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(3), 463; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12030463 - 28 Jan 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2540

Abstract

Zinc oxide thin films have been developed through thermal oxidation of Zinc thin films grown by high impulse power magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS). The influence of various sputtering power on thin film structural, morphological, photocatalytic, and antimicrobial properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the crystalline phase of ZnO thin films consists of a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Increasing the sputtering power will lead to intrinsic stress on thin films that promote whisker formation. In this study, whiskers were successfully developed on the thin films without precursors/catalysts and not thermally treated over the Zn melting point. This finding showed that the film phase structure and morphology are significantly affected by sputtering power. It was found that ZnO thin films exhibit high photocatalytic performance under UV irradiation (89.91%) of methylene blue after 300 min of irradiation. The antimicrobial activity on ZnO thin films showed significant inhibition activity (p < 0.05) against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. However, the whisker formation on ZnO thin films is not accessible to enhance photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity. This study demonstrates that the HiPIMS method through the thermal oxidation process can promote a good performance of ZnO thin films as photocatalyst and antimicrobial agents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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14 pages, 1380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drug Resistance Reversal Potential of Nanoparticles/Nanocomposites via Antibiotic’s Potentiation in Multi Drug Resistant P. aeruginosa

by Pratima Pandey, Rajashree Sahoo, Khusbu Singh, Sanghamitra Pati, Jose Mathew, Avinash Chandra Pandey, Rajni Kant, Ihn Han, Eun-Ha Choi, Gaurav Raj Dwivedi and Dharmendra K. Yadav

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(1), 117; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano12010117 - 30 Dec 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1949

Abstract

Bacteria employ numerous resistance mechanisms against structurally distinct drugs by the process of multidrug resistance. A study was planned to discover the antibacterial potential of a graphene oxide nanosheet (GO), a graphene oxide–zinc oxide nanocomposite (GO/ZnO), a graphene oxide-chitosan nanocomposite (GO–CS), a zinc oxide decorated graphene oxide–chitosan nanocomposite (GO–CS/ZnO), and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) alone and in a blend with antibiotics against a PS-2 isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These nanocomposites reduced the MIC of tetracycline (TET) from 16 folds to 64 folds against a multidrug-resistant clinical isolate. Efflux pumps were interfered, as evident by an ethidium bromide synergy study with nanocomposites, as well as inhibiting biofilm synthesis. These nanoparticles/nanocomposites also decreased the mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of TET. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on nanomaterials as a synergistic agent via inhibition of efflux and biofilm synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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19 pages, 5098 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Step Triethylamine-Based Synthesis of MgO Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial Effect against Pathogenic Bacteria

by Ramiro Muñiz Diaz, Pablo Eduardo Cardoso-Avila, José Antonio Pérez Tavares, Rita Patakfalvi, Virginia Villa Cruz, Héctor Pérez Ladrón de Guevara, Oscar Gutiérrez Coronado, Ramón Ignacio Arteaga Garibay, Quetzalcoatl Enrique Saavedra Arroyo, Virginia Francisca Marañón-Ruiz and Jesús Castañeda Contreras

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 410; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11020410 - 05 Feb 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3568

Abstract

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) were obtained by the calcination of precursor microparticles (PM) synthesized by a novel triethylamine-based precipitation method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a mean size of 120 nm for the MgO NPs. The results of the characterizations for MgO NPs support the suggestion that our material has the capacity to attack, and have an antibacterial effect against, Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria strains. The ability of the MgO NPs to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion radicals (

O_{2}^{• -}

) or hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), was demonstrated by the corresponding quantitative assays. The MgO antibacterial activity was evaluated against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 250 and 500 ppm on the microdilution assays, respectively. Structural changes in the bacteria, such as membrane collapse; surface changes, such as vesicular formation; and changes in the longitudinal and horizontal sizes, as well as the circumference, were observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The lipidic peroxidation of the bacterial membranes was quantified, and finally, a bactericidal mechanism for the MgO NPs was also proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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17 pages, 3917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photocatalytic Inactivation of Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Using TiO₂ Nanoparticles Prepared Hydrothermally

by László Kőrösi, Botond Pertics, György Schneider, Balázs Bognár, János Kovács, Vera Meynen, Alice Scarpellini, Lea Pasquale and Mirko Prato

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(9), 1730; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10091730 - 31 Aug 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3035

Abstract

Exploitation of engineered nanomaterials with unique properties has been dynamically growing in numerous fields, including the agricultural sector. Due to the increasing resistance of phytopathogenic microbes, human control over various plant pathogens in crop production is a big challenge and requires the development of novel antimicrobial materials. Photocatalytic active nanomaterials could offer an alternative solution to suppress the plant pathogens. In this work, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ NPs) with high photocatalytic activity were synthesized by hydrothermal post-treatment of amorphous titania at different temperatures (250 °C or 310 °C) without using any additives or doping agents. The obtained samples were investigated through X-ray diffraction, N₂-sorption measurements, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The applied hydrothermal treatment led to the formation of TiO₂ nanocrystallites with a predominant anatase crystal phase, with increasing crystallinity and crystallite size by prolonging treatment time. The photocatalytic activity of the TiO₂ NPs was tested for the photo-degradation of phenol and applied for the inactivation of various plant pathogens such as Erwinia amylovora, Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Allorhizobium vitis. The studied bacteria showed different susceptibilities; their living cell numbers were quickly and remarkably reduced by UV-A-irradiated TiO₂ NPs. The effectiveness of the most active sample prepared at 310 °C was much higher than that of commercial P25 TiO₂. We found that fine-tuning of the structural properties by modulating the time and temperature of the hydrothermal treatment influenced the photocatalytic properties of the TiO₂ NPs considerably. This work provides valuable information to the development of TiO₂-based antimicrobial photocatalysts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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16 pages, 4011 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synergetic Effect of 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine and Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles on Antibacterial and Anti-Demineralisation Properties in Orthodontic Bonding Agents

by Se Young Park, Kyung-Hyeon Yoo, Seog-Young Yoon, Woo-Sung Son and Yong-Il Kim

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(7), 1282; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10071282 - 30 Jun 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2808

Abstract

2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) is known to have antibacterial and protein-repellent effects, whereas mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticles (MBN) are known to have remineralisation effects. We evaluated the antibacterial and remineralisation effects of mixing MPC and MBN at various ratios with orthodontic bonding agents. MPC and MBN were mixed in the following weight percentages in CharmFil-Flow (CF): CF, 3% MPC, 5% MPC, 3% MPC + 3% MBN, and 3% MPC + 5% MBN. As the content of MPC and MBN increased, the mechanical properties of the resin decreased. At 5% MPC, the mechanical properties decreased significantly with respect to CF (shear bond strength), gelation of MPC occurred, and no significant difference was observed in terms of protein adsorption compared to the control group. Composition 3% MPC + 5% MBN exhibited the lowest protein adsorption because the proportion of hydrophobic resin composite decreased; CF (91.8 ± 4.8 μg/mL), 3% MPC (73.9 ± 2.6 μg/mL), 3% MPC + 3% MBN (69.4 ± 3.6 μg/mL), and 3% MPC + 5% MBN (55.9 ± 1.6 μg/mL). In experiments against S. mutans and E. coli, addition of MPC and MBN resulted in significant antibacterial effects. In another experiment, the anti-demineralisation effect was improved when MPC was added, and when MBN was additionally added, it resulted in a synergetic effect. When MPC and MBN were added at an appropriate ratio to the orthodontic bonding agents, the protein-repellent, antibacterial, and anti-demineralisation effects were improved. This combination could thus be an alternative way of treating white spot lesions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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11 pages, 2515 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement of Antibacterial Performance of Silver Nanowire Transparent Film by Post-Heat Treatment

by Ji-Hyeon Kim, Junfei Ma, Sungjin Jo, Seunghun Lee and Chang Su Kim

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(5), 938; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10050938 - 13 May 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2864

Abstract

Silver nanomaterials (AgNMs) have been applied as antibacterial agents to combat bacterial infections that can cause disease and death. The antibacterial activity of AgNMs can be improved by increasing the specific surface area, so significant efforts have been devoted to developing various bottom-up synthesis methods to control the size and shape of the particles. Herein, we report on a facile heat-treatment method that can improve the antibacterial activity of transparent silver nanowire (AgNW) films in a size-controllable, top-down manner. AgNW films were fabricated via spin-coating and were then heated at different temperatures (230 and 280 °C) for 30 min. The morphology and the degree of oxidation of the as-fabricated AgNW film were remarkably sensitive to the heat-treatment temperature, while the transparency was insensitive. As the heat-treatment temperature increased, the AgNWs spontaneously broke into more discrete wires and droplets, and oxidation proceeded faster. The increase in the heat-treatment temperature further increased the antibacterial activity of the AgNW film, and the heat treatment at 280 °C improved the antibacterial activity from 31.7% to 94.7% for Staphylococcus aureus, and from 57.0% to 98.7% for Escherichia coli. Following commonly accepted antibacterial mechanisms of AgNMs, we present a correlation between the antibacterial activity and surface observations of the AgNW film. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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26 pages, 7029 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrospun Active Biopapers of Food Waste Derived Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) with Short-Term and Long-Term Antimicrobial Performance

by Kelly J. Figueroa-Lopez, Sergio Torres-Giner, Daniela Enescu, Luis Cabedo, Miguel A. Cerqueira, Lorenzo M. Pastrana and Jose M. Lagaron

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(3), 506; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10030506 - 11 Mar 2020

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 4638

Abstract

This research reports about the development by electrospinning of fiber-based films made of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) derived from fermented fruit waste, so-called bio-papers, with enhanced antimicrobial performance. To this end, different combinations of oregano essential oil (OEO) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) were added to PHBV solutions and electrospun into mats that were, thereafter, converted into homogeneous and continuous films of ~130 μm. The morphology, optical, thermal, mechanical properties, crystallinity, and migration into food simulants of the resultant PHBV-based bio-papers were evaluated and their antimicrobial properties were assessed against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) in both open and closed systems. It was observed that the antimicrobial activity decreased after 15 days due to the release of the volatile compounds, whereas the bio-papers filled with ZnONPs showed high antimicrobial activity for up to 48 days. The electrospun PHBV biopapers containing 2.5 wt% OEO + 2.25 wt% ZnONPs successfully provided the most optimal activity for short and long periods against both bacteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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16 pages, 8131 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Silver Nanoparticles-Composing Alginate/Gelatine Hydrogel Improves Wound Healing In Vivo

by Flavia Resende Diniz, Romerito Cesar A. P. Maia, Lucas Rannier M. de Andrade, Luciana Nalone Andrade, Marco Vinicius Chaud, Classius Ferreira da Silva, Cristiane Bani Corrêa, Ricardo Luiz C. de Albuquerque Junior, Luiz Pereira da Costa, Su Ryon Shin, Shabir Hassan, Elena Sanchez-Lopez, Eliana Barbosa Souto and Patricia Severino

Nanomaterials 2020, 10(2), 390; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano10020390 - 23 Feb 2020

Cited by 141 | Viewed by 9365 | Correction

Abstract

Polymer hydrogels have been suggested as dressing materials for the treatment of cutaneous wounds and tissue revitalization. In this work, we report the development of a hydrogel composed of natural polymers (sodium alginate and gelatin) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with recognized antimicrobial activity for healing cutaneous lesions. For the development of the hydrogel, different ratios of sodium alginate and gelatin have been tested, while different concentrations of AgNO₃ precursor (1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mM) were assayed for the production of AgNPs. The obtained AgNPs exhibited a characteristic peak between 430–450 nm in the ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectrum suggesting a spheroidal form, which was confirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Fourier Transform Infra-red (FT–IR) analysis suggested the formation of strong intermolecular interactions as hydrogen bonds and electrostatic attractions between polymers, showing bands at 2920, 2852, 1500, and 1640 cm⁻¹. Significant bactericidal activity was observed for the hydrogel, with a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 0.50 µg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and 53.0 µg/mL against Staphylococcus aureus. AgNPs were shown to be non-cytotoxic against fibroblast cells. The in vivo studies in female Wister rats confirmed the capacity of the AgNP-loaded hydrogels to reduce the wound size compared to uncoated injuries promoting histological changes in the healing tissue over the time course of wound healing, as in earlier development and maturation of granulation tissue. The developed hydrogel with AgNPs has healing potential for clinical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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Review

Jump to: Research

29 pages, 2241 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Advances in Nanosystems and Strategies for Vaginal Delivery of Antimicrobials

by Giulia Chindamo, Simona Sapino, Elena Peira, Daniela Chirio and Marina Gallarate

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(2), 311; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/nano11020311 - 26 Jan 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5060

Abstract

Vaginal infections such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis affect millions of women each year. They are caused by an overgrowth of microorganisms, generally sexually transmitted, which in turn can be favored by alterations in the vaginal flora. Conventional treatments of these infections consist in systemic or local antimicrobial therapies. However, in the attempt to reduce adverse effects and to contrast microbial resistance and infection recurrences, many efforts have been devoted to the development of vaginal systems for the local delivery of antimicrobials. Several topical dosage forms such as aerosols, lotions, suppositories, tablets, gels, and creams have been proposed, although they are sometimes ineffective due to their poor penetration and rapid removal from the vaginal canal. For these reasons, the development of innovative drug delivery systems, able to remain in situ and release active agents for a prolonged period, is becoming more and more important. Among all, nanosystems such as liposomes, nanoparticles (NPs), and micelles with tunable surface properties, but also thermogelling nanocomposites, could be exploited to improve local drug delivery, biodistribution, retention, and uptake in vulvovaginal tissues. The aim of this review is to provide a survey of the variety of nanoplatforms developed for the vaginal delivery of antimicrobial agents. A concise summary of the most common vaginal infections and of the conventional therapies is also provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Application of Antimicrobial Nanomaterials)

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