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Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activities of Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces In Vitro
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Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activities of Nanoparticles and Nanostructured Surfaces In Vitro

Published on: April 21, 2023

In vitro antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles against ocular pathogenic filamentous fungi

Yan Xu1, Chuanwen Gao, Xiaohua Li

  • 1Laboratory of Ocular Pharmacology, Henan Eye Institute, Henan Eye Hospital, Zhengzhou, China. xuyan990301@yahoo.com.cn

Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics : the Official Journal of the Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|February 16, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) show potent antifungal activity against common fungal keratitis pathogens, outperforming the traditional antifungal natamycin in vitro. This finding offers a promising new avenue for developing effective antifungal eye drops to combat vision-threatening fungal eye infections.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Mycology
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Fungal keratitis is a significant cause of vision loss in China.
  • Effective antifungal treatments are limited, necessitating the development of new therapeutic options.
  • Ocular fungal infections pose a serious threat to vision.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag).
  • To compare the efficacy of nano-Ag with natamycin against ocular pathogenic filamentous fungi.
  • To explore novel antifungal agents for treating fungal keratitis.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted broth dilution antifungal susceptibility tests on 216 fungal isolates from Chinese patients.
  • Included Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Alternaria alternata.
  • Determined minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (MIC50 and MIC90) following CLSI M38-A guidelines.

Main Results:

  • Silver nanoparticles demonstrated lower MIC50 and MIC90 values against all tested fungal genera compared to natamycin.
  • Nano-Ag showed potent activity with MIC50 values of 0.5-1 μg/mL and MIC90 values of 1 μg/mL.
  • Natamycin exhibited higher MIC values, indicating less potent activity against these ocular pathogens.

Conclusions:

  • Silver nanoparticles exhibit superior in vitro antifungal activity compared to natamycin against ocular pathogenic filamentous fungi.
  • Nano-Ag represents a promising candidate for developing new antifungal eye drops.
  • Further research into nano-Ag formulations for ocular infections is warranted.

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