Impact of the changes in bacterial outer membrane structure on the anti-bacterial activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been increasingly utilized in many industries to harness their documented antibacterial properties. However, the mechanism(s) of action is still debated in the literature. The aim of this study is to understand how changes in outer membrane charge of a test bacteria alter the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs of average sizes of 20 nM and 60 nM.

Augmented antibacterial activity of ampicillin with silver nanoparticles against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

At present, including failed attempts, it takes about 15 years and costs totaling up to $2.6 billion to take a promising new compound from laboratory to the market. Increasing drug resistance among microbial pathogens has led to a growing interest in exploring novel methods to enhance the efficacy of existing drugs.