It is said that nanotechnology has become one of the promising courses of action in the treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections. Nanoparticles help the drug to penetrate the outer membrane of the gram-negative bacteria by acting as a drug surface coating reagent.
Some things to start this off:
- Higher reactivity and higher solubility
- Ability to stay in suspension and not settle
- Ability of very small particles to penetrate certain barriers e.g blood-brain
- Ability or objective to use tiny amounts of highly toxic materials in small directed areas e.g. to kill or weaken a tumor
- Ability to control the location of certain species or particles e.g. with magnets (iron/magnetite)
Nanoparticles have the ability to weaken the drug resistance of bacteria through various methods. Firstly, they can enhance drug delivery by enclosing drugs and transporting them directly to the site of infection, leading to an increase in drug concentration at that location. This can be effective in overcoming bacterial defense mechanisms that impede drug penetration. Secondly, some nanoparticles have the potential to disturb the membrane of bacterial cells, which facilitates drug entry and subsequent eradication of the bacteria. Thirdly, particular nanoparticles can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which cause harm to bacterial metabolism and cell membranes, consequently making the bacteria more susceptible to drug treatment. Finally, certain nanoparticles are capable of disrupting biofilms, which are protective layers that bacteria use to evade antibiotics. By disrupting these biofilms, nanoparticles can make bacteria more sensitive to drug therapy.
I think a lot of this depends on the type of nanoparticle that you are thinking. As Tomal Roy said above, some are able to disrupt the membrane, either to penetrate (like micelles and other protein-based nanoparticles). While other like metallic nanoparticles can produces ROS or liberate multivalent ions that will break, oxidize, and disrupt the metabolism and membrane proteins.
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