Effect of amoxicillin nanoformulation on its antibacterial activity against common bacterial strains involved in nosocomial infections

Effect of amoxicillin nanoformulation on its antibacterial activity against common bacterial strains involved in nosocomial infections
Mohammad Javad Forouzani-Moghaddam,^1,* faeze sarafraz,²
1. Msc of Food Microbiology, School of Paramedical, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
2. Msc of Food Microbiology, School of Paramedical, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Introduction: Nanotechnology offers a great chance to treat drug-resistant microbial infections. The purpose of this study was to synthesize ampicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles and compare the antibacterial activity of this nanoformulation with pure ampicillin.
Methods: Ampicillin-encapsulated polymeric nanoparticles were prepared using chitosan as a polymer and alginate as cross linking agent. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy. The antibacterial effects of the nanoparticles were evaluated using broth microdilution and well diffusion methods against some common bacterial strains involved in hospital-acquired infections.
Results: The drug-encapsulated nanoparticles were found to be spherical in shape with average size of 81 nm. These nanoparticles had a significant antibacterial effect on all tested bacteria, except for S.aureus. They also displayed stronger antibacterial activity than the nanocarrier alone or free antibiotic. The highest mean zones of growth inhibition (24.5 mm) for methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and the smallest zone (13.6 mm) for the resistant species of this bacterium were determined. MIC of the nanoformulation against these two strains was respectively determined at 1.5 asnd 48 µg/ml and for E.coli and S.aureus at 6.6 and 256 µg/ml
Conclusion: The results suggest that ampicillin encapsulation in polymer nanoparticles has the potential to increase its antibacterial activity against bacteria causing nosocomial infections.
Keywords: Ampicillin, Antibacterial activity, Hospital infections, Nanoformulation.