Abstract
The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) stabilized with a four-armed star-shaped poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer [St-P(CL-b-EO)] and its application as a drug delivery vehicle for cephalexin (Cp) was evaluated against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus. The prepared AgNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta sizer and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The antibacterial efficiency of Cp is enhanced several-fold by its delivery through complexation with St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs, monitored by microplate assay and biofilm destruction studies. Finally, the visual destruction of bacterial cells and its biofilms by employing Cp and its conjugates at their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC50), respectively, is observed by topographic imaging by AFM. Enhanced antibacterial activity of St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs loaded Cp is attributed to penetrative nature of the drug cargo St-P(CL-b-EO)-AgNPs towards the bacterial cell wall.
Highlights
Infectious diseases are one of the major reasons of morbidity and mortality across the world [1,2,3]
Per cent of the human population is a longstanding carrier of Staphylococcus aureus, a round-shaped 2 gram-positive bacterium that belongs to the phylum Firmicutes
We report the preparation of AgNPs stabilized with four-armed St-P(CL-b-EO) and studied its proficiency to boost the antibacterial potential of Cp through the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC)
Summary
Infectious diseases are one of the major reasons of morbidity and mortality across the world [1,2,3]. Staphylococcus aureus is a natural inhabitant of the normal skin flora in the nostrils and the lower genital part of a women’s reproductive system. Staphylococcus aureus causes many illnesses, including skin infections such as carbuncles, abscesses, pimples, cellulitis and scalded skin syndrome such as osteomyelitis, sepsis, endocarditis, pneumonia, bacteremia and toxic shock syndrome [4,5,6]. These pathogenic strains mostly spread infections via the production of potent protein toxins and the cell surface protein expression that inactivates antibodies through binding. Despite extensive research in the field, no immunization is yet approved against S. aureus [3,7,8,9]
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