Nano-antimicrobials: A viable approach to tackle multidrug-resistant pathogens

Bushra Jamil, Muhammad Ali Syed

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Escalating resistance to almost every class of antibiotics is reducing the utility of currently available antimicrobial drugs. A part of this menace is attributed to poor pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the drug. Improvement in drug delivery is the most challenging task encountered by the pharmaceutical industries; however, nanotechnology can bring a revolution in drug design and delivery. Nano-antimicrobials have their own intrinsic antimicrobial activity (nanoparticles) or augment overall efficacy of enclosed antibiotics (nano-carriers), thus contribute in mitigating or reversing the resistance phenomenon. Nanoparticles (NP) having their own intrinsic antimicrobial activity kill microbes by mimicking natural course of killing by phagocytic cells, i.e., by producing large quantity of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). It is believed that NPs kill microbes by simultaneously acting on many essential life processes or metabolic routes of microbes; that as many genetic mutations to develop resistance against them seems to be impossible. Nano-carriers improve the pharmacokinetics of the enclosed drug. Moreover, one of the major techniques by which NAMs can overcome resistance is targeted drug delivery to the site of disease. In this chapter, a comprehensive detail about the mechanism of action of NAMs is presented in context to multidrug-resistance phenomenon.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNanotechnology Applied To Pharmaceutical Technology
PublisherSpringer International Publishing
Pages31-54
Number of pages24
ISBN (Electronic)9783319702995
ISBN (Print)9783319702988
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Nov 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases (ESBL)
  • Multi drug resistance targeted drug delivery
  • Nano-antimicrobial
  • Nano-carriers

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