Diatomaceous earth/zinc oxide micro-composite assisted antibiotics in fungal therapy

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Antimicrobial Research

Background:

• The rise of fungal infections, particularly during COVID-19 waves, highlights the urgent need for advanced diagnostic and therapeutic solutions.
• While biosilica-based nanotherapies show promise, their direct antimicrobial roles, biocompatibility, and stability require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a diatomaceous earth-zinc oxide (DE-ZnO) composite as a novel antibiotic agent.
• To assess the DE-ZnO composite's efficacy against fungal and Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.
• To investigate the composite's synergistic effects with existing antifungal agents and its toxicity profile.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a DE-ZnO composite using diatomaceous earth and in-house synthesized zinc oxide.
• Evaluation of the composite's antibiotic activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica.
• Assessment of the composite's toxicity compared to commercial SiO2-ZnO and its synergistic effects with Itraconazole and Amphotericin B.

Main Results:

• The DE-ZnO composite demonstrated enhanced antibiotic activity against tested fungi and Gram-negative bacteria.
• The composite's mechanism involves large surface area for pathogen binding and production of reactive oxygen species and metal ions.
• DE-ZnO exhibited significantly lower toxicity than commercial SiO2-ZnO, with a 6-fold reduction at a 3-times lower dosage.

Conclusions:

• The DE-ZnO composite shows significant potential as a biocompatible and stable antibiotic agent against fungi and Gram-negative bacteria.
• Synergistic use of DE-ZnO with existing antifungals can improve efficacy and potentially reduce side effects associated with higher drug dosages.
• This nano-composite represents a promising candidate for advancing medical science and industrial engineering applications in antimicrobial therapy.