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Updated: Sep 26, 2025
Manufacture and Drug Delivery Applications of Silk Nanoparticles
Published on: October 8, 2016
A review and revisit of nanoparticles for antimicrobial drug delivery
Kai Bin Liew1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Ashok Kumar Janakiraman1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Ramkanth Sundarapandian1,2,3,4,5,6,7
1Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Industry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Cyberjaya, Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
Abstract:
Antimicrobials are widely used to treat bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Therefore, research and development of newer types of antimicrobials are important. Antimicrobial resistance has emerged as a major challenge to the healthcare system, although various alternative antimicrobials have been proposed. However, none of these show consistent and comparable efficacy to antimicrobials in clinical trials. More recently, nanoparticles have emerged as a potential solution to antimicrobial agents to overcome antimicrobial resistance. This article revisits and updates applications of various types of nanoparticles for the delivery of antimicrobial agents and their characterization. Though nanoparticle technology has some limitations, it provides an innovative approach to pharmaceutical technology. Furthermore, nanoparticles offer a variety of advantages, such as enhancement of solubility and permeation, leading to better efficacy. In this article, approaches commonly employed to improve antimicrobial therapy are discussed. These approaches have advantages and applications and provide a broader opportunity for pharmaceutical scientists to choose the proper method per the desired outcome.
Insights
Nanoparticles offer a promising solution to combat antimicrobial resistance by enhancing drug delivery and efficacy. This innovative approach in pharmaceutical technology presents new opportunities for developing effective antimicrobial therapies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Materials Science
- Infectious Disease Research
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health challenge, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Existing alternative antimicrobials often lack consistent efficacy compared to traditional agents.
- Nanoparticle technology presents a potential breakthrough for overcoming antimicrobial resistance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and update the applications of various nanoparticles in antimicrobial agent delivery.
- To discuss nanoparticle characterization methods relevant to antimicrobial applications.
- To explore strategies for improving antimicrobial therapy using nanoparticles.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of nanoparticle applications in antimicrobial delivery.
- Analysis of nanoparticle characterization techniques.
- Discussion of pharmaceutical approaches to enhance antimicrobial therapy.
Main Results:
- Nanoparticles enhance solubility and permeation of antimicrobial agents, improving efficacy.
- Various nanoparticle types show potential for delivering antimicrobial agents.
- Nanoparticle technology offers innovative pharmaceutical solutions despite some limitations.
Conclusions:
- Nanoparticle-based drug delivery is a key strategy to address antimicrobial resistance.
- This technology provides significant advantages for enhancing antimicrobial efficacy and overcoming resistance.
- Further research and application of nanoparticles offer broad opportunities in pharmaceutical science.
