162
interaction (Courtney et al. 2017). The quantum dots system was found to be thousand times more effective in killing bacteria over single use of antibiotic. Exposure
of methicillin- resistant S. aureus and E. coli to photoexcited graphene quantum dots
led to bacterial killing due to reactive oxygen species generation (Ristic et al. 2014).
Quantum dots have also been modified for enhanced antimicrobial properties. In
one such study, Kuo et al. (2018) showed graphene quantum dots, when doped with
nitrogen and functionalized with an amino group, exhibited improved reactive oxygen species generation ability compared to unmodified graphene quantum dots, and
completely eliminated multidrug-resistant bacteria.
6.5 Conclusions and Future Perspectives
The rise in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has led to an urgent requirement of efficient solutions to combat their fast growth. With nanomaterials emerging as prominent antibacterial agents, nanotechnology, undoubtedly, holds great
hope toward combating multidrug-resistant strains and benefitting public health.
Apart from antimicrobial effects of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, new
approaches to enhance the bactericidal effect of nanoparticles such as use of carbon
nanotubes, fullerenes, dendrimers, antimicrobial peptides, etc. have also been materialized in recent years. While the modifications of nanoparticles have led to
improvement in the control of antibiotic-resistant strains, the in vivo and in vitro
behavioral characteristics of these modified nanostructures need to be explored upon.
Also with the introduction of nanoantibiotics the future holds tremendous scope for
the development and delivery of novel antibiotic formulations for treating many
resistant strains.
References
Abdolhosseini M, Zamani H, Salehzadeh A (2019) Synergistic antimicrobial potential of ciprofloxacin with silver nanoparticles conjugated to thiosemicarbazide against ciprofloxacin
resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa by attenuation of MexA-B efflux pump genes. Biologia
74:1191–1196
Adams CP, Walker KA, Obare SO, Docherty KM (2014) Size-dependent antimicrobial effects
of novel palladium nanoparticles. PLoS One 9:e85981. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.
pone.0085981
Ahmed KBA, Subramaniyan SB, Banu SF, Nithyanand P, Veerappan A (2018) Jacalin-copper sulfide nanoparticles complex enhance the antibacterial activity against drug resistant bacteria
via cell surface glycan recognition. Colloids Surf B: Biointerfaces 163:209–217. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.12.053
Ali K, Dwivedi S, Azam A, Saquib Q, Al-Said MS, Alkhedhairy AA, Musarrat J (2016) Aloe vera
extract functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles as nanoantibiotics against multidrug resistant
clinical bacterial isolates. J Colloid Interface Sci 472:145–156
R. Sinha et al.
interaction (Courtney et al. 2017). The quantum dots system was found to be thousand times more effective in killing bacteria over single use of antibiotic. Exposure
of methicillin- resistant S. aureus and E. coli to photoexcited graphene quantum dots
led to bacterial killing due to reactive oxygen species generation (Ristic et al. 2014).
Quantum dots have also been modified for enhanced antimicrobial properties. In
one such study, Kuo et al. (2018) showed graphene quantum dots, when doped with
nitrogen and functionalized with an amino group, exhibited improved reactive oxygen species generation ability compared to unmodified graphene quantum dots, and
completely eliminated multidrug-resistant bacteria.
6.5 Conclusions and Future Perspectives
The rise in the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains has led to an urgent requirement of efficient solutions to combat their fast growth. With nanomaterials emerging as prominent antibacterial agents, nanotechnology, undoubtedly, holds great
hope toward combating multidrug-resistant strains and benefitting public health.
Apart from antimicrobial effects of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles, new
approaches to enhance the bactericidal effect of nanoparticles such as use of carbon
nanotubes, fullerenes, dendrimers, antimicrobial peptides, etc. have also been materialized in recent years. While the modifications of nanoparticles have led to
improvement in the control of antibiotic-resistant strains, the in vivo and in vitro
behavioral characteristics of these modified nanostructures need to be explored upon.
Also with the introduction of nanoantibiotics the future holds tremendous scope for
the development and delivery of novel antibiotic formulations for treating many
resistant strains.
References
Abdolhosseini M, Zamani H, Salehzadeh A (2019) Synergistic antimicrobial potential of ciprofloxacin with silver nanoparticles conjugated to thiosemicarbazide against ciprofloxacin
resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa by attenuation of MexA-B efflux pump genes. Biologia
74:1191–1196
Adams CP, Walker KA, Obare SO, Docherty KM (2014) Size-dependent antimicrobial effects
of novel palladium nanoparticles. PLoS One 9:e85981. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.
pone.0085981
Ahmed KBA, Subramaniyan SB, Banu SF, Nithyanand P, Veerappan A (2018) Jacalin-copper sulfide nanoparticles complex enhance the antibacterial activity against drug resistant bacteria
via cell surface glycan recognition. Colloids Surf B: Biointerfaces 163:209–217. https://doi.
org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2017.12.053
Ali K, Dwivedi S, Azam A, Saquib Q, Al-Said MS, Alkhedhairy AA, Musarrat J (2016) Aloe vera
extract functionalized zinc oxide nanoparticles as nanoantibiotics against multidrug resistant
clinical bacterial isolates. J Colloid Interface Sci 472:145–156
R. Sinha et al.