Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
06:42
Preparation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and the Evaluation of their Antibacterial Effects
Published on: September 27, 2024
Nanoparticle-Based Strategies to Combat Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future
Akmal Zubair1, Syeda Zaira Batool1, Mohamed H Helal2
1Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Pakistan.
Microbiologyopen
|June 2, 2026
Summary
Nanotechnology, or nanobiotics, offers a promising solution to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Nanoparticles (NPs) overcome bacterial defenses and enhance antibiotic effectiveness, paving the way for new infectious disease treatments.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases & Nanomedicine
Background:
- Infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pose significant global health threats.
- The development of new antibiotics has stagnated, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential of nanotechnology, specifically nanobiotics, in combating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria.
- To explore the mechanisms of nanoparticle (NP)-mediated antibacterial action and their synergistic effects with conventional antibiotics.
Main Methods:
- Database searches were conducted to identify relevant studies on nanobiotics and AMR.
- The review analyzes the physicochemical properties of NPs that enable them to overcome bacterial resistance mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Nanoparticles exhibit unique properties like high surface-to-volume ratios, enabling them to bypass resistance mechanisms such as efflux pumps.
- Antibacterial mechanisms include inducing oxidative stress (ROS), destabilizing cell envelopes, and targeting intracellular components.
- NPs can synergize with antibiotics, enhancing efficacy and reducing host toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Nanotechnology presents a viable strategy to address the challenges of AMR and infectious diseases.
- Further research is needed to address long-term compatibility, environmental impact, and regulatory aspects of nanomaterials.
- Integrating nanomedicine with precision medicine and CRISPR systems holds promise for future infectious disease management.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
01:25Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
01:24Microbial Corrosion
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a significant form of material degradation caused by the metabolic activities of microorganisms. This phenomenon poses substantial challenges across various industries, including oil and gas, maritime, and water treatment sectors.MIC occurs when microorganisms, such as bacteria, archaea, and fungi, colonize metal surfaces, forming biofilms that alter the local electrochemical environment. These biofilms can lead to the production of corrosive...
01:30Development of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
01:27Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Synergism is a useful mechanism where combining two or more drugs is more effective than each constituent used alone. Such combinations are also called supra-additive interactions. The drugs collectively enhance the final therapeutic effect by acting on different targets. Another advantage is that the low dose of each constituent drug is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. This helps reduce the duration of therapy and lower the adverse effects of these drugs.
Such synergistic combinations...
Such synergistic combinations...
01:21Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics
Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...