NANO-ANTIBIOTICS: A NOVEL APPROACH TO COMBATTING MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT BACTERIAL INFECTIONS AND REDUCING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern, necessitating the development of innovative treatments. This study explores the potential of nanoparticle-based antibiotics (nano-antibiotics) as a novel solution to enhance drug efficacy and reduce resistance development. The research involved the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles with an average size of 150 ± 20 nm and a zeta potential of -25 mV, ensuring stability in solution. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirmed the spherical shape and uniform distribution of the nanoparticles. The study compared the antibacterial efficacy of nano-Ciprofloxacin with its free form against E. coli and S. aureus. Results showed that nano-Ciprofloxacin had significantly lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values-0.5 µg/mL for E. coli and 1 µg/mL for S. aureus-compared to 2 µg/mL and 4 µg/mL, respectively, for the free antibiotic. Furthermore, nano-Ciprofloxacin exhibited lower minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values, indicating enhanced antibacterial activity. Cytotoxicity assays using HEK-293 cells revealed that nano-Ciprofloxacin was less toxic than the free antibiotic, with 90% cell viability at 10 µg/mL compared to 70% for the free form. Additionally, the study demonstrated that bacteria exposed to nano-antibiotics developed significantly less resistance over 30 days, with only a 2-fold increase in MIC, compared to a 16-fold increase for E. coli and an 8-fold increase for S. aureus with free antibiotics. In summary, nano-antibiotics offer a promising approach to combat antibiotic-resistant infections, showing improved efficacy, reduced cytotoxicity and a lower propensity for resistance development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]